The Broken Wand
by Aerolysia
Summary: Hermione makes a wish as Harry breaks the elder wand and the raw magic unleashes grants her that wish. She enters a world where enemies are friends and war never touched their lives. Does she find a way back to her own reality, should she even try.
1. Magic Goes Somewhere

"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."

― G.K. Chesterton

Hermione stared at what was behind her, a broken castle and so many dead friends, collateral from a war no one really won. No one really ever wins when war was the game. She stood on the ruined bridge and looked at her war ravaged friends.

Harry had become the figure head of a revolution that should have ended before his birth. This war had taken everything from him, his parents, his innocence, his future; he would forever be known as the boy who wouldn't die. She and Ron would be just as prevalent when they told stories about this battle. They would prop them up as war heroes and their names would be spoken of in awe and hushed tones until they faded into the history books. Their real reason for fighting would be long forgotten as history turned their story into some kind of mass uprising against the injustices of whatever struck their fancy. Nothing really changed; nothing except so many people had died, on both sides.

People would forget the war was really about two men on opposite sides of a chess board, both seeking power and knowledge to further their goals, and neither caring about the consequences of the outcome. Absolute power corrupts absolutely; in the end the desire for power brought Voldemort to his knees and Albus Dumbledore dead in a grave somewhere upon the school grounds, all at the hands of a seventeen year old boy and his two best friends.

They hadn't wanted this. At eleven years old their biggest worry was whether the sorting hat would put them into Slytherin. Over the years they'd waged a secret war alone; with only the prodding of a mad headmaster and a link to a dark lord they'd never wanted. Always alone, the only ones who'd believed Harry resolutely that he who must not be named had risen. They'd fought in the shadows, surrounded by friends who didn't really understand the toll battles like that takes on a person, on a child.

It wasn't until that night at the ministry that things became real for a select group of their friends. And it wasn't until their seventh year when Voldemort came out of the shadows and the ministry fell that the rest of the wizarding world realized what it meant to go to actual war.

Their disbelief and their ridicule had taken a toll on the boy who lived; Hermione could see it now reflected in his bright green eyes. He had seen too much of war and loss, too much of the pain and suffering seeking power could bring. He held the elder wand in his hands and she and Ron moved to stand beside him while he examined it. Turning it first this way then that.

"Why didn't it work for him?" Ron asked tucking his hand into Hermione's own cold one. She squeezed it encouragingly.

Harry looked back at them, dirt and blood covered his face, and they had been fighting so long they had forgotten what it felt like to be clean. He shrugged. "It never belonged to Voldemort. Remember what Olivander said about wands changing their allegiance?" Ron didn't but Hermione did, she nodded. "Voldemort thought if he killed Snape the wand would be his, but it wasn't ever Snape's. It was Draco who disarmed Dumbledore that night in the tower. And I disarmed him in Malfoy manner." He looked at the cursed wand. "It's mine." He didn't look very happy at the prospect.

"Blimey. What are we going to do with it?" Ron didn't look very excited at the prospect either but there was something in his voice that sent a chill down Hermione's spine.

"We?" She asked in disbelief pulling her hand from his grip. He shrugged unabashed.

"That's the most powerful wand in existence, could be useful." It occurred to Hermione her friend was still thinking in terms of a war. Safety in power. If this is what they had become she didn't want to be a part of it. She wished for a world where they'd never seen war, were Voldemort had never come to be.

Harry snapped the wand and wisps of smoke filtered in through the air. He looked back at them and sighed before tossing first one half then the other over the bridge and into the chasm bellow. Hermione had never been more proud of him. She would have told him so if a lone blue light hadn't shot out of the last piece and hit her square in the chest sending her world into total darkness.


	2. But You're Dead

"Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die."

― Herbert Hoover

 _So bloody cold._ That was the first thing Hermione could remember thinking when she finally graced the land of the living. She was in the woods, she assumed it was the forbidden forest but she had no idea how she got there. The last thing she remembered was Harry breaking the wand in half.

It was snowing heavily, she had to make her way back to the castle she wasn't dressed for heavy snow and she couldn't seem to find her wand. She'd had Bellatrix's in her pocket but it too had disappeared, that didn't bode well for the young Gryffindor.

It was odd that Harry and Ron would have left her out in the cold alone and defenseless. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that something hadn't gone exactly to plan.

She heard voices in the distance and quickly found a tree to hide behind, the battle may have been over and the dark lord gone but many of his followers had fled into the forest, they'd love to get their hands on a muggle-born; especially her.

"What exactly did you see Ms. Walberg. And it had better be good or you'll be receiving detention for being out so late at night." Hermione recognized the Scottish accent anywhere and breathed a sigh of relief. She rushed out of her cover and approached the two witches trudging awkwardly through the deep snow.

"Professor!" Minerva McGonagall shoved the student behind her and pointed her wand at Hermione so fast the poor student toppled over in surprise. Hermione held her hands up and backed up slowly. "It's me, Hermione." She didn't see any sense of recognition in the old woman's eyes nor did she see the glazed over effects of an imperious curse.

"Stop right there. Ms. Walberg do get up from there and stop trembling." She never took her wand away from Hermione but she pulled the girl to her feet. "How did you get here? From Hogsmeade?"

"I-I've been here. I don't understand I go- well I went to school here. I was just with Harry and Ron, but they seem to have left me…."

Minerva at least seemed to recognize Harry and Ron's names. She scoffed. "What have those two trouble makers been up to now?"

"I- I'm sorry what? Professor I don't understand what you are talking about. We just fought the war, we were standing on the bridge and I must have …lost….consciousness." The head of Gryffindor was looking at her as if she just sprouted two heads and had breathed fire.

"War? Child what on earth are you talking about. Oh my dear, they jinxed you didn't they?" She lowered her wand pleased that Hermione was no threat and pointed in the direction of what Hermione assumed was the castle. "Come on dear we'll get you to the headmaster and get you all sorted out."

Despite having no idea what was going on Hermione figured it was in her best interest to follow the witch. What other choice did she have? Besides she trusted McGonagall with her life and even a slightly forgetful McGonagall was better than taking her chances alone in the Forbidden Forrest.

They made the trek in silence, the girl was breathing heavy beside her and occasionally McGonagall had to half lift half drag her out of the snow. Hermione herself was tired but a year on the run had strengthened her muscles and she had no problem keeping up with the easy pace that was set.

It wasn't until the castle came into view that Hermione's breath caught in her. There was no damage. It looked just as it did before the battle just as it did when she rushed through the halls for classes and adventures. "How…?" Minerva ignored her and motioned for her to come along.

Peeves was writing vulgarity on the walls when Minerva entered. She gave him a stern talking too but as usual for the ghost it went in one ear and out the other. He began circling them and yelling petty insults at the students, dipping down so they ducked to avoid the unpleasant feeling of being gone through it was such a Peeves thing to do it brought tears to Hermione's eyes. It wasn't until McGonagall threated to get the bloody baron that the poltergeist made his way to find some other form of mischief.

"Go back to your dorm room, dear. I won't give you detention in light of things but do not let me catch you out of bed and bounds again dear." The young Gryffindor nodded eagerly and shot Hermione a thankful look as she ran off, almost as if she were glad the witch had turned up to save her from the wrath of McGonagall. "Right follow me, child." Hermione knew where they were headed, to the headmaster's office; she'd been here more than once despite it being Harry and Ron who were really the troublemakers.

"Red Hots." It must have been the password, because the moment they arrived the gargoyle moved out of the way for them to climb the long spiral staircase. Hermione had no idea what time it was but she assumed it was rather late. She vaguely wondered if headmasters ever got any sleep, which begged the question to who was headmaster now that Snape was dead.

She wasn't prepared for the answer. In his desk as if no time had passed and he had not a care in the world, sat the bearded figure of Albus Dumbledore with his feet propped up on the desk. And if she were startled to see him he was just as startled to see her. His feet fell off ungracefully and he leaned forward so she could see his shocked eyes behind his crescent shaped glasses.

"But you're dead." They both said at once.


	3. To the Forgotten and The Dead

"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime."

― Ernest Hemingway, Ernest Hemingway: A Literary Reference

Hermione sat heavily in a dark red wingback in front of the headmaster's desk, she felt faint and he himself didn't look much better. "I saw your body, I saw you dead." She put her head in her hands and tried to slow her heart beat down to a manageable rate, she really didn't want to pass out again heaven only knew what would happen next. "The dead should stay dead…." McGonagall fidgeted behind her, but the older witch always knew when to stay silent and when to listen. She had clearly decided this was a time to listen.

"I may be old, young Granger, but I can assure you I have never experienced death." She didn't realize how much she'd missed the old man's slow and comforting way of speaking until she heard his soft easy tone. She even missed his whimsical start of term speeches.

She'd never felt like Harry had about him, never idolized him because she knew he was just a man, but he represented normalcy, a time where her most important challenge was passing her classes and making sure Harry and Ron did their homework.. "You however have not been in this world for some time." He regarded her solemnly.

"I don't know what is going on. "Hermione admitted she looked up at him with her thoughts all muddled.

Dumbledore stood slowly and moved so he could crouch down in front of her chair. "I have a question; if I may I would like to see for myself what has happened. Have you ever heard of a pensieve?" She nodded. "Would you be willing to allow myself and McGonagall to see what has transpired the last few days in your mind?" It was better than allowing him inside her mind but it meant he could keep the memories bottled up in his office. She wondered if the thought should cause as much distress to her as it did. She couldn't see any other option and she had no intension of being subjected to veritaserum so she nodded.

"You'll have to do it professor; I'm not sure where my wand has gone."

He smiled kindly at her, "If it as I suspect I'm afraid I will be able to answer that in a few moments Ms. Granger." He placed the tip of the wand to her head. Hermione was slightly started to see it was not the elder wand but she made no outward reaction as the old man pulled wisps of memories from her mind.

Once he was finished he pointed them to the cupboard that housed the cup like object and she watched as her memories floated around in the silvery waters. "Would you like to direct us?" She shook her head, she'd lived through those memories she had no desire to revisit them. He wasn't shocked by her answer, "Help yourself to whatever book or snack you wish."

It was such an odd thing to say to someone you weren't supposed to know. As they entered her memories from the past few days Hermione wondered how the old man knew she loved books. If she was indeed dead here he shouldn't know anything about her.

She pushed the thoughts away and walked about, noticing Forks sleeping peacefully in his cage she smiled at the beautiful bird. She remembered Harry telling them the story of the phoenix bursting into flame right in front of him their second year. Seeing him now he really was an incredible bird. She saw the sorting hat on a shelf but she resisted the urge to touch it. She wasn't as brave as Neville or Harry she didn't stand up to injustice and violence as they did and she had no use for the sword of Gryffindor any more. If she was honest she never wanted to see the blasted sword ever again. Too many dark memories were attached to it for her liking.

She walked over to the bookshelf behind the large mahogany desk and was surprised to see it encrusted in dust. She would have thought Dumbledore an avid reader but all the bookshelves were the same. It was as if he had never touched the tomes and they were only being stored there for their appearances. It was a shame to waste such knowledge.

She pulled one of the heavier books from the shelf and sneezed as the dust disagreed with her senses. It was a book about the magical underwater world of the mer kingdom, it had an entire chapter dedicated to underwater herbology, Neville would have loved to get his hands on this. She smiled sadly and put it away. A book on succubae caught her attention but she quickly put it away after the first few pictures revealed erotic women and men in situations she didn't really want to see. She could feel the blush running up her neck and she searched for another book, perhaps a more benign story.

She found one in a history of a Japanese wizard called Seimei, the equivalent of Merlin according to the book. She found it absolutely fascinating. It detailed his life as an advisor to the emperor all the way to being defeated in duel by his rival. There were sketchy stories of him being resurrected by his master but the book Hermione was reading discredited the claims, asserting it was impossible to cheat death. She knew better, death could be as blind as justice in the right circumstances.

The sound of sniffling and the clearing of a throat drew her away from the dusty pages. It seemed the two professors were finished with their trudge down Hermione's memory lane. They both looked a little worse for wear. "Oh my dear child, the things you have been through." Hermione waved her off looking now at Dumbledore for an explanation.

"Where do our paths cross?"

"My child they do not." Hermione stared at him perplexed. Did he mean what she thought he meant. "There has never been a war with a man named Voldemort; Tom Riddle was an unimpressive youth with a kind and loving mother but no father to speak of." Hermione put the book down on his desk and paced in front of them cagily.

"Are you telling me….the only thing that could have stopped that vile man from amassing an army against all of muggle kind was a blasted loving mother?!" She rubbed her temple with her fingers feeling the mother of all headaches approaching.

Minerva was still sniffling but she was quickly gaining control of herself, neither attempted to answer her outburst. "You're in my house I believe?" Hermione nodded so she turned her attention to the elderly man. "What will we do with her Albus, surely her parents should be notified and she is technically a student here."

The man frowned and shook his head sadly. "Ms. Granger I'm very afraid I have some horrible news. The day you were to arrive at the platform I was told another muggle drove into your father's car. I believe they said he was drunk if my memory serves." Hermione took a seat again; she already knew where this was headed.

"There dead aren't they?" He nodded sorrowfully. She looked up with tears falling from her light brown eyes. "I never even got to say goodbye. Before the war I obliviated them." She ignored their gasp of astonishment. They didn't experience the war so they had no right to judge her for the crimes she committed during it. "They forgot about me, about the wizarding world, and I never got to tell them goodbye…." It finally became too much for her to bare she broke down right there in the headmaster's office and sobbed for the friends and family she had lost. She barely noticed Minerva pulling her softly into the older witches embrace and stroking her back until she cried herself into the soothing arms of obliviousness.


	4. Time

**A/N: the updates on this will be considerably slower than Just a Brand because I haven't worked out what exactly the plot is going to be. I appreciate everyone taking the time to read one or the other and I especially appreciate the few of you that can deal with my writing style and read both. A little confession I can't stand to read my own stories, after I get rid of the thought rereading them bores me to tears. But again thanks a lot for the reviews and the patience. Also I think the grammar on my word program is broke. It always wants to replace words that do not make sense, especially herself and her so if you see that in any of my fics sorry. I tried to spell owls and newts out properly and it absolutely wouldn't let me. I've seen it done so I'm not sure what i was doing wrong.**

" _The two most powerful warriors are patience and time."_

Hermione woke up to the feeling of being watched. She didn't want to open her eyes, afraid of what she might see. Either she was back to the place where war had changed herself, her friends, and her family didn't know her or she was back to the place where the sacrifices she had made and everything she'd endured had meant nothing. If she could stay asleep, in blissful unware forever she would. She didn't want to die, not really, but some peace for just a little while wasn't too much to ask was it? Considering.

It wasn't going to happen. She was awake now, and she'd have to face reality eventually. She also wanted to know who was staring holes into her.

Resigning herself to whatever reality this was she opened her eyes. It only slightly surprised her to see McGonagall asleep in a chair next to her bed and none other than Albus Dumbledore staring morosely at the 'mudblood' scar exposed on her arm.

She caught his eye and he gave her an apologetic smile. "I cannot get rid of it." She nodded; she knew that already it was a cursed blade. Nothing would ever heal it; she'd carry the scars with her for life just like she would the memories of war. "I saw the memory of you in the Malyor foyer." She grimaced; she wished he wouldn't be so exact she didn't want to remember it. Though it seemed she couldn't forget it. "I have to tell you if you wish to continue your studies here," He hesitated. She didn't think she'd ever seen Dumbledore hesitate. "Bellatrix Black," Hermione paled but she didn't flinch again.  
"She is not the person from your memories."

"I figured, no one is who I remember there never was a dark lord rising to power and terrifying the wizard and muggle world." Hermione pulled herself into a sitting position. If Dumbledore was about to deliver a bomb she wanted to be better prepared to receive it.

"Well she isn't crazy no, in fact she's the sanest and best professor I have on staff."

"Excuse me? Did you say professor?"

"For the past fourteen years Professor Black has been the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She's the best we've ever had actually."

Hermione tried to wrap her head around the insane woman she knew in her past being capable of teaching students. Even muggle students. She doubted Bella's pureblood upbringing was different just because Tom Riddle was a momma's boy here.

"If you want to stay, Ms. Granger, which I hope you do, I might add. You'll be placed in your sixth year. And unfortunately you'll be required to take Defense Against the Dark Arts with Black."

"I should be in seventh." She protested.

She got a nod but he didn't change his mind. "Yes, but it's the middle of term and am I correct in assuming you didn't even start your seventh year? I thought so. I'm sure you're quiet capable of catching up but I would rather you take it easy. And acing your Owls and Newts will look good for you when you finish your seventh year."

Hermione hated admitting he was right. She could see the benefits of having high testing scores back her up when she applied for jobs after school. Without her perfect record of the past six years she wouldn't have gotten as many offers as she had in the past. Here she'd have to start all over again. But the thought of spending two years with Bellatrix Black, no matter how different she was, didn't sit well with her.

"I will let you think it over. If you wish to try it and find it too difficult to see Ms. Black I will help you relocate schools to anyone of your choosing." She was surprised by his offer, it must have showed. "I was not the Albus Dumbledore from your youth. I cannot explain to you why he did what he did, why he entrusted so much on the shoulders of children. But I do feel responsible; I made many mistakes in my youth searching for answers to questions better left alone. I am very glad I don't have this particular sin to bear. And if I can make amends to you in anyway, you have but to ask." He stood up and glanced over at McGonagall. "She would not leave." He looked at her over the brim of his half-moon glasses and for once that night she saw the sparkle return to his eyes. "You have yourself a champion I believe. She insists you be put into Gryffindor if you decide to stay. I will however, refer to your own decision in the matter."

"I'm a Gryffindor." Hermione watched the easy rise and fall of McGonagall's chest. She'd always been fond of the woman. Perhaps staying wouldn't be so bad. After all she really had nowhere else to go did she? With her parents dead.

"Yes, Ms. Granger, you are perhaps more of a Gryffindor than any student I have ever had the pleasure of teaching at this school." He headed for the door stopping only once to wave his farewell.

She watched the door where he'd disappeared for a few minutes. It was her decision, staying or going. The real question was if she could deal with her own post-traumatic stress, would seeing Bellatrix Lestrange, or Black as she was, trigger her. It might be fun to hex the witch into oblivion and blame it on her past ordeal. Sadly she probably couldn't Black was probably just as great a dueler here as she was there. And there was the problem of Hermione not having a wand. She had to ask McGonagall what to do about that. When she woke up…..


	5. Contemplating Past and Present

_**"Our uniqueness makes us special, makes perception valuable- but it can also make us lonely This loneliness is different from being 'alone': You can be lonely even surrounded by people. The feeling I'm talking about stems from the sense that we can never fully share the truth of who we are."**_

 _ **Amy Tan**_

Hermione watched her professor doze in the chair beside her bed for what felt like hours. She knew it was her, it was McGonagall, but at the same time she was a stranger. This woman had never scolded her or Harry and Ron for being out of bounds. Never made them feel two feet tall with her disappointed gaze and hard brusque tone, and she had never told them she was proud of them. Hermione had never seen this particular woman flush with relief at seeing her alive and well and still carrying on the fight while everything else seemed so bleak. Hermione had never been this woman's beacon of hope. Not like she and Harry and Ron had been for her professor.

Somehow...it just depressed her. And worse of all...there was no one to help her. No one could make her feel better about wanting to go back to a place where war and loss was so prevalent. And there was no friend or mentor who could help her come to terms with what she lost, because there was no way for them to ever understand exactly what it was she was missing. Everyone was there...everyone she was missing was right there. Safe and sound and whole. No scars, physically or mentally...

But it wasn't going to be the same. She'd yet to see any of her friends and she already knew that nothing was going to feel the same. They wouldn't know her. They wouldn't even be the same people she knew. Their strength came from all the fighting and loss they had suffered the past seven years. These people in their war less little world wouldn't have even an inkling as to what she went through.

Not even the professors could relate. There was no fearful Lord Voldemort, no one had ever felt the cold terror creeping down there spine when they said his name and immediately felt eyes watching them from the shadows. No dark mark over loved ones homes or men in masks terrorizing muggles with powers they couldn't understand. No blessed relief as the vile man vanished while trying to kill an infant...no celebrations in the street at his seeming demise, or plans by men wiser than their naive counterparts who knew this wasn't quiet the end.

"I can hear you thinking from over hear, Ms. Granger." Hermione started, pulled from her self wallowing pity at the sound of her Professor's voice. "Are you alright?"

It was a crazy question. Even McGonagall knew that. Of course Hermione wasn't okay, she'd just lost everything. But it was a branch...something for her to grasp onto. Her teachers way of letting her know she was there to listen should she need an ear. "I-" Hermione cleared her throat trying to rid it of the husky, close to tears, tone. "I think I will be alright, Professor. If I'm going to attend school I will need a wand...and school supplies I suppose." Her light brown eyes glanced down at her hands. They were folded neatly in her lap atop the scratchy infirmary blanket. She only just noticed they'd been cleaned. The dirt pulled from under her nails and the blood fully washed away. Cuts and bruises marred them and she suspected much of her body was the same. She didn't pass through the battle unscathed after all. Most of the wounds, thankfully, were in her mind and not on display to the rest of the world.

"You will need a lot of things, Ms Granger." Came the sad reply. Hermione forced herself to look at the woman. "Materials things I can give you. But..." McGonagall trailed off, unsure of how to word what she wanted to say. Unsure of how to say how sorry she was that she couldn't give Hermione everything she needed.

There was no need to finish. Hermione understood. She nodded. "I will manage, Professor. Somehow..." Hermione thought about Bellatrix being somewhere inside the castle wall, welcome inside them. As a professor she was likely getting up about now, if the morning light streaming through the stained glass windows was any indication of the time.

"You're very brave, Ms Granger."

Hermione honestly tried to smile. "You can call me Hermione, Professor."

She was confused when the older woman shook her head. "After everything I saw you do in your mind, it just feels like an insult."

"None of that matters now." Hermione wasn't able to keep the pain out of her voice no matter how hard she tried.

"I didn't see very much." The witch admitted. "I understood less of what I did. But Ms- Hermione." She nodded to herself as the name rolled unfamiliar off her tongue. "Hermione, you will always be a hero to me. I am always going to look at you in awe and find your bravery unmatched. At least in my slice of reality. I'm sure there were many like you, who took up the call to fight when they could have fled."

Hermione smiled at a memory, one she hadn't shared. A simple one of easier times and innocence but no less dangerous. Neville standing up to them when he could have pretended not to see, could have looked the other way as they were friends. He'd put himself in front of all of Gryffindor that day, to help them from losing any more points. He'd done a lot of putting himself in front of other people after that day. In many more dangerous situations.

"You were brave too, Professor." Hermione thought of the way she'd stood between Harry and Snape, unaware that the man had no intention of killing either of them. McGonagall blushed under the steady gaze Hermione levied at her. "One of the bravest."

The old witch cleared her throat and stood up from her uncomfortable chair just as Pomfrey came bustling into the infirmary. The woman gave them both a pointed look, one only Pomfrey could pull off in the face of the assistant headmistress, and shuffled on content to ignore them."If you're feeling better, Ms. Hermione," she forcefully corrected herself. "Then perhaps you would join me in a trip to Diagon Alley. Dumbledore has expressed permission for me to take you by apparation from Hogsmeade."

"I can apparate Professor, if you would rather stay and teach classes." If she was shocked by the knowledge she didn't show it. Hermione was of apparating age so it shouldn't have been a shock. "Oh-" Hermione exclaimed looking incredibly uncomfortable. "I just realized I haven't any money." A sharp pain moved through her chest as she regrettably realized she hadn't any parents to ask either.

"Its been taken care of." Likely out of the orphan funds but Hermione said nothing else. "And I don't mind taking you. I think it will help...Well things could be different I don't want you to feel overwhelmed." The brunette nodded. She didn't think she would really need the babysitting but she realized McGonagall was right. "I don't want to press Hermione but...about school. Are you staying." She beamed when the girl nodded. "Will you be staying in my house?" Hermione nodded again and she thought the older woman was going to practically bounce with pride. She tried to keep it hidden of course, McGonagall didn't go around showing every one how she felt, but Hermione could tell. And it looked difficult for the woman to hide that rather large grin. She raised an eyebrow at the woman. "Well it's just, you're rather intelligent and though I do have some students in the intellectual department, and courage mind you is nothing to be discontented with...well...it's just I would bloody well like to have a student smart enough to rival the Ravenclaws. They beat us every year at the Y.A.C. " McGonagall looked entirely too disgruntled, Hermione couldn't help the laugh as she swung the blanket off and moved to sit on the side of the bed.

"What in the world are Yaks?"

"Yearly Academic Competitions." Cat like eyes stared at her in consideration. "You didn't have them?"

"We had O. and N.E. ..." McGonagall interrupted her.

"No those are tests. We have those," She assured Hermione. Hermione didn't want to admit she had always thought of her newts and owls as competition. If not with other people then with herself. She had to drag her attention back to what McGonagall was telling her. "Y. are competitions. Duels and tests for fun, meant to encourage cooperation between houses. It really is something to see." Hermione motioned for her to continue, it sounded like something she could get into. "It starts off in groups, one of each house makes a team, divided by year of course. Only fourth through Seventh are allowed to compete. Once the first trials are overcome and some of the teams are eliminated, usually there are three teams left, before the teams are split and it becomes a house against house. Its very entertaining. Not as popular as Quidditch but it gets its supporters."

"And you're hoping I'll join?"

McGonagall nodded. Dumbledore let me know you were a highly intelligent child at your muggle school. While I don't know what your life was like as a student...I'm confident that carried on into your magical life as well."

"Top of my year." Hermione said absently. She didn't miss McGonagall's smug grin. "I wouldn't mind giving it a try." She was a little iffy about competing but it was probably the best way to make friends. And even though she should be graduating she had a year left to go. Friends were all that were going to keep her sane in the mess of a life she had now.

"Good." McGonagall surprised her by clapping her hands together sharply. She looked chagrin when Hermione jumped about a foot off the bed at the loud sound. "Sorry, dear."

"It's okay. Is it all right if we go...uh what day is it exactly?"

"Friday. I imagine you want to use the weekend to catch up on classwork and familiarize yourself with the school again." It had only been a year, she didn't really need to do all that familiarizing, she remembered every hall way and secret passage they'd even gone down. She nodded anyway. Schoolwork would help her figure out where the sixth years were, they could be more advanced than her at that year. Lord knows their D.A lessons were never exactly first rate, what with the gaps in their education and the changing of the teacher every year. That brought her attention back to Bellatrix Lestrange but she forced the painful thoughts away. There was a time and place to deal with her thoughts on that particular issue and it wasn't in front of her House Head.

"I'm ready to go if you are." McGonagall apparently wanted to protest, something she had seen flicker in those caramel eyes was haunting at her. Instead she nodded and motioned for Hermione to follow her.

"We'll find you some robes shall we?" Hermione turned only once to glance back at the rumbled bed she'd just left. It was odd but she felt like if she left the safety of the infirmary her situation would become more real. She knew realistically she couldn't stay forever, Pomfrey wouldn't let her for one. But as long as she had stayed curled up in that bed she could pretend like none of it had ever happened. Like her Harry and Ron were in the beds just past the drawn curtains and they'd all get up when no one was around and smile at each other in relief. Thankful that they had all survived their most recent battle unscathed and whole. That wouldn't happen though. Not even if she went back to that hospital bed and crawled up under the covers, there was no Harry and Ron to laugh with. Hermione Granger was lamentably on her own for the first time in seven years.

A/N; I hate that I couldn't come up with a better name than Yak...actually I did and I like it a lot but it meant a very nasty word in another language and my girlfriend wouldn't let me put it in despite me using it as an acronym. She is so bossy! Oh but I love her a lot and she is the best and most prettiest person in the world...(she reads the notes...idk why cause I rarely even read them). If your reading this and waiting on an update for Branded its coming soon. Just needed to give people a little hope that I haven't forgotten about this one. Thanks for reading and Reviews make me update faster...they give me motivation! Thank you all for the support I never expected it but I'll always be grateful that you enjoy my work, flaws and all!

A/N I didn't notice my word processor once again messed up owls newts and yaks...idk why it does that only for this sight too.


	6. Diagon Alley

" _ **Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change."**_

 _ **Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley**_ _ **,**_ _ **Frankenstein**_

Hermione walked the streets of Diagon Alley with the Scottish woman right on her heels. It was odd for her to see it so peaceful, like it had been her first few years at Hogwarts. It felt like she hadn't seen peace in so long…seeing all the children and parents, the witches, wizards even a few magical creatures….seeing them all milling about shopping and smiling. It hurt to watch.

She stopped in the street and let the busy crowd flow around her. It must have been instinctual in people. To avoid running into people like her, people who cannot be moved.

She didn't mean she couldn't be physically moved, no that was entirely possible, but…it was like meeting a soldier in the subway. And he just stops in front of you. You don't know he is a warrior, you don't know anything about him. Don't know why he stopped so suddenly in the middle of the way.

It's the way he holds himself though. Somehow, the rigid stance the deep breaths gets through to a part of your brain that let's you know that person there has experienced hell and your damn well not going to shove them aside because that hell made them a little dangerous. So you let the have their time, let them stand in the way and you move around them. And you don't even realize what you did. Why you did it.

She stood in that proverbial subway now. Staring up at the marbled white building that housed the bulk of the wizarding gold. Minerva was stopped beside her, and despite the woman's stern expression people were bustling into her. No one even brushed against Hermione's cloak.

"We broke in," She said, catching McGonagall's attention. The witch followed Hermione's gaze and scoffed. "Impossible right? We stole something and escaped on a dragon." She was sure it sounded right crazy but despite her immense respect for the teacher she didn't care if she believed her. Hermione just needed to say it. To remember it had existed. That the world she had left and sacrificed for hadn't just been a figment of her imagination.

"It is _supposed_ to be impossible. But I don't doubt you could have found a way."

"It was difficult." Hermione admitted, still without looking away from the building. "We had to-" she left off. She wasn't going to tell her teacher they used imperious on a goblin. It was still technically illegal.

"A dragon though…" McGonagall let drop whatever Hermione had been about to say. "Thought that was just a myth."

"It was being tortured." Her tone was emotionless but she still felt anger at the way the creature had been treated. She could almost sympathize, except his had lasted who knows how much longer than her measly hour on the Malfoys floor. She wondered if the poor creature was down there now. She couldn't help it if it was. She turned to away and met McGonagall's gaze. "I suppose I should go get my wand."

"If you want dear. Dumbledore expressly said you are to purchase whatever you like. He insisted you return with a pet as well. An owl perhaps." Hermione nodded. She didn't really want a pet. Whatever she got wouldn't be Crookshanks or Hedwig. It wouldn't even be Pigwidgeon. And she honestly had no use for an owl as she had no one to write to. Still it couldn't hurt, perhaps she would one day need one for more than the daily prophet. Though…with no Voldemort to look out for she didn't really need the prophet either.

"Ms. Granger?"

"Oh. I'm coming." She followed McGonagall into Ollivander's. It was nostalgic being back inside his store. Dusty boxes stacked everywhere and the smell of wood in the air. It didn't take the wild haired man long to appear from behind the stacks. He smiled at the teacher welcomingly.

"I have a student here who is in need of a new wand, Ollivander." Trust her to get straight to the point. She wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulder and pulled her toward the large wooden counter. "This is Hermione Granger, she will be a sixth year at-"

"Did you say Granger?" His eyes widened in shock and he stared transfixed on the girl. The transfiguration teacher nodded. "But she was killed…." He trailed off and grimaced under McGonagall's stern expression. "In any case I have your wand if you want it. The one you uh bought when you were eleven." He disappeared behind the counter and came up with an extraordinarily dusty box. "It just wouldn't sell to anyone else. Lucky I suppose…" He didn't sound like he thought it was just luck.

Hermione reached out for the box and removed the lid. She was happy to see her vine wood dragon heartstring resting inside it. She picked it up and pointed at the stacks of boxes on her side of the counter. They cleaned themselves up instantly without the use of a spoken spell.

Ollivander eyed her skeptically and nodded hesitantly. He waved off the offered money. "She's already bought it you know. Her parents did anyway. And it…would never work for anyone else. Was too dangerous to even touch…" He trailed off eyeing her curiously.

"How was it dangerous?" McGonagall asked cautiously. She didn't want Hermione carrying around a faulty wand. Not that she had ever heard of such a thing. Except the once when Ronald Weasley broke his wand trying to sneak into the shrieking shack on a dare. That had been a dangerous year.

"It….would blow things up." He said vaguely.

"I- If my wand was here and I'm supposed to be dead…"Hermione started. "How did I die. I know my parents are dead and I think I deserve an explanation." She was looking at her teacher when she said it but it was Ollivander who answered her.

"The…car crash. You were on your way to school. To the station when your father was hit by another car. A drunk I believe they said." His expressed turned sad. "I remember him, your father, nice man. Bit lost but most muggles are when presented with all this magical…anyways." He cleared his throat and stared at a scratch in the wood of his counter. "They died on impact, you were taken to a muggle hospital and…"

McGonagall cut him off. "You died of your wounds before St Mungo's knew you had been injured."

The stiff way they were standing and the brisk way Ollivander had been cut off made Hermione believe they were lying about something. What exactly she wasn't sure and it was pointless trying to grill them for the truth. She doubted Ollivander would give it to her now that he had been effectively warned. And getting anything out of the Scottish woman when she didn't want to give it was impossible. She let it go for now. She knew she could find it on her own somehow anyways. Research had always been one of her strengths.

"Thank you. For the wand." He nodded and watched her closely as she left the shop, Minerva only stopped to throw him one last cautionary glance before she shut the door behind them.

"I wonder why the wand I had didn't come with me…" She hadn't meant to say it aloud but Minerva answered regardless.

"I have a theory. Only that mind you. Perhaps the wand existed here already and couldn't duplicate itself."

Hermione turned to look at her and glanced back at Ollivander's sign. She tried to remember anything of wand lore that could possibly relate to what McGonagall was saying. It sounded plausible enough anyways.

"I can go get your books, I know what you need, if you'd like to go pick out a pet." She nodded. "Oh." She reached out and grabbed Hermione's arm before she could get too far. " Go and get fitted for robes as well. Be sure to let her know your house you can have it all done at once. If you don't have any objections we will be shopping at the muggle department stores for your everyday wear."

Hermione glanced down at the borrowed robes she was wearing. Underneath it was the torn outfit still slightly bloody from the last battle. She hadn't thought about other clothes. She nodded choosing not to express her surprise that McGonagall even knew what a muggle department store was and took off in the direction of the pet emporium.

She didn't look back but if she had she would have noticed the man watching her from the shadows. The scruffy beard and haggard robes. She would have noticed the wild, slightly crazy, grin he wore as he watched her walk away.


	7. Crooked

" _ **There is only one kind of shock worse than the totally unexpected: the expected for which one has refused to prepare."**_

 _ **Mary Renault**_ _ **,**_

He was excited, so excited it was all he could do not to dance in the damn street. She was here. His liberator. They had tried to silence her before she ever began. They had feared her potential.

They had been right to.

The prophecy had been heard by all the wrong people. But they were blind and arrogant if they thought they could stop change simply by killing her.

He pulled his beat up beanie further down over his ears. Wouldn't do to let the humans in on it. Not yet. Perhaps they could be helpful but she wasn't ready to be inspiring yet.

She was lost and confused in a world he knew wasn't her own. But that was the best part. The prophecy….

" _ **She will come to you in your darkest hour. A warrior forged by sacrificing everything she had to a cause that had never began."**_

Those idiots had thought the prophecy was speaking of his cause. His little rebellion. The one he never managed to start. They had been so wrong.

This girl was the key to everything. Not the child they had murdered while she lay unconscious in a muggle hospital room. Completely defenseless. Completely irrelevant.

He was still angry at her loss. She may not have been the one he needed but her death had been utterly useless. And a tribute to how far they would go to keep his kind under thumb. To keep anyone willing to fight for peace silenced, for when the real war began.

Azrael couldn't afford fighting rebels as well as humans after all.

He scratched at his beard and stopped to look up at the majestic building that was Gringots. It wasn't their fault. Not really. He understood Az's desires. His contempt for the injustice brought down on their ancestors.

But his people were dying. They were dying out naturally, forgetting who and what they were. Many of them had forgotten the old gifts had forgotten that they once used to coexist as equals to the humans, mages and muggles alike.

He aimed to bring those times back. He just didn't think all out war was the way to do it. Death never beget anything but death. And perhaps hatred.

But if he didn't find a way to have it done his way his brother was going to do it however he saw fit. That would be a war. That's what he wanted.

Azrael wanted to rule over humanity. That had been his goal from the beginning. But finding more of their kind…more that knew of the old ways was near impossible. And had, thankfully, set his plans back more than a decade.

That girls arrival would start them all up again. It meant the last of the unearthly wands was broken. In whatever reality she came from she had destroyed the last of it's magic. His people were free. Their bonds unshackled. His brother would realize this. His brother would act.

He hoped this girl was all he hoped she'd be. His success was already looking bleaker, everyday his brothers forces multiplied. Without the wizarding world's aide Az may proceed unchallenged.

He was alone, had always been alone. It was always him against his brother, his twin. But if she didn't chose his side…it was going to be him against an army. And he was going to lose and the world would be plunged into darkness.

~H~

Thankfully getting her robes hadn't taken too long, although the tailor tried her best to grill her on the sudden transfer. Unfortunately for the witch Hermione hadn't had anything to say on the matter. She tried small talk after that but even that fizzled out when she asked about her parents. Simply saying they were dead seemed to shut the woman up for the rest of the process, something she had been grateful for.

She had bid Hermione farewell with the promise of sending the parcels to McGonagall's office. With that out of the way Hermione made her way over to the pet emporium. It looked a little different than she remembered but…different reality and all she supposed that's just how things went.

A bell rang out as she pushed the door open, she looked up but there was no bell there. Magic, she assumed. She felt a little burned out on magic. She was started to miss the muggle world a bit. Thankfully she had the shopping trip to look forward to….not that it was what she wanted to do in the magic world. She wanted to pay respects to her parents but she had no idea where they would be buried. She wondered where she was…

A monkey jumped off a large armoire and landed on her shoulder. He was rather heavy and held on to her hair. "Ouch!"

She shook him off with some measure of difficulty and he landed on his arse. He shook his head to clear it like and grinned slyly up at her.

She glared down at him. It didn't bother him any. He was cute in his own way. He had a little red hat perched on top of his head and he made a big show of straightening it before jumping up onto the counter. He hit a bell there until Hermione heard cursing from the next room. Cursing that sounded suspiciously like "bloody annoying primate". But she couldn't be sure. The monkey just kept grinning and pressing on the little bell.

"I'm coming for goodness sake!"

Hermione stepped forward and rested her hand on the bell before he could slam his hand back down on it again. "She heard it." He pouted quite a bit and crossed his arms. When she moved off the bell he gave it one last quick hit and rushed off back to the top of his original hiding place so she couldn't reach him. He stuck his tongue out at her scolding look.

"Hi I don't suppose you want to adopt him?" A beautifully disheveled woman made her way to the counter, trying her best to brush off what looked like dust from the brim of her artist hat. Her reddish golden hair was long underneath it. Hermione was rather pleased the woman was wearing muggle clothes. You rarely saw witches wearing them, but especially not in a magical town. Diagon Alley was as magical as you could get.

"Uh…no...no. School pet." The woman grinned cheekily at her stuttering.

"I can read your mind." Hermione shot up mental shields and blushed before she realized the woman was joking. At least she thought she was joking. She laughed heartily and smiled at Hermione. "I'm sorry, but your reaction was better than the boys." Hermione grumbled and looked at the owls on the far wall choosing to ignore the woman and her teasing. "Alright , love, don't get your knickers in a twist. What kind of pet did you say?"

"I don't know, an owl maybe." She looked in on a few tawny owls and a grey one that sort of reminded her a bit of Errol. It fell off it's perch when it noticed her looking it's way.

The woman tsked. "You don't strike me as an owl lady." Hermione agreed silently. Useful as they were having one as a pet had never appealed to her. She liked the misfits, the ones no one else realized had potential. Just look at Crookshanks he had saved their lives. Or tried to anyways. She wondered how often that cat cursed them for not realized Peter was the rat.

"How about a rat, I have the per-"

"No!" She blushes and looked into the woman's green eyes for a moment before she had to look away. "Sorry, bad experience with one. It uh…bit me."

"Hmm… if you say so. I've never liked them myself but…well that's because my husband's friend was always sneaking into the prefects bathroom while I was….oh you don't really care about that never mind."

Hermione looked at the woman, taking in her entire appearance. The muggle clothes the red hair with eh golden streaks in it and the green eyes she recognized. She let out a slight gasp at her conclusion. Lily Potter only raises an eyebrow at her. "I…I think we are talking about the same rat."

"Are we?" Lily asked with genuine interest. She wouldn't have expected a child to know Peter Pettigrew, granted the man was a pervert it wasn't impossible he had tried that trick at the Leaky Cauldron and perhaps ran into the girl.

"Its all the same." Hermione responded cryptically. She knew why the store was different than she remembered now. Lily was alive, it was her personality that Hermione was seeing in this version of the pet store. It was interesting. She was a little more…bubblier than Hermione would have expected. She looked different than all the pictures she had seen in Harry's book. But…like everything war probably affected the way that Lily had behaved and dressed. Not to mention this one had obviously aged, aged very well…..but aged all the same.

Something broke in the back and the monkey began screeching in a way Hermione could only assume was laughter. She was probably right because one hand was pointing at the back and the other was on his belly as he rocked back and forth in obvious glee.

"Bloody cat! Stop knocking shit off my tables." Lily didn't go back to check it out but she fixed Hermione with a serious stare. "Do you know my dad uses to try and trick me, say that the world was flat and we were all going to fall off one day. You know how I knew he was wrong?" She vented. "If it was flat that cat would have shoved everything off already. He is a right arse."

The fluffy cat in question sauntered into the room. "Whatever you do don't pet him, he bites-" Lily trailed off and watched as the orange bushy cat made it's way over and rubbed against Hermione's legs. She reached down and stroked his favorite spot while he purred contentedly. "Uh…do you want him."

Hermione smiled down at Crookshanks. See knew it was him. And somehow she thought he knew he was meant for her. "I'll take him." She smiled up at Lily. At least with him she could have a little bit of home.

 _ **A/N: I don't have a set schedule. I wish I did but I try and update when the inspiration hits me and sometimes reviews help spark that inspiration. Especially when you guys try to guess what is going to happen or who people are.**_ __


	8. A Crow and A Boy

**A/N: This chapter ends at a cliff….just a warning in case you want to wait for me to update the next one too.**

"What in Merlin's beard is that?" Hermione had been enjoying an ice cream while she waited on McGonagall when the little blonde boy climbed up in the chair beside her. She looked around a bit but didn't see anyone that could be his mother so she didn't try to shoot him off. He couldn't have been older than four.

She glanced over at the little monkey Lily had conned her into taking along with Crookshanks. The cat was watching people pass in a bored contemptuous sort of way and hissing at any that looked at it's master for too long. The monkey was however enjoying himself a peanut flavored ice cream that the server had swore was his favorite.

"He's a capuchin, his name is Loki." The monkey threw a quick grin at the little boy and went back to his ice cream. He made it look like serious business.

"Low key?"

"Mhm." Hermione went back to idly eating her savory treat. She couldn't seem to figure out how to interact with people anymore. "Where is your parents?" She asked after a few minutes when it became evident he wasn't going away.

"They died. I'm staying with a foster family." Her brow crinkled in confusion. She had never heard of wizards fostering children. She assumed something was done with orphans…but…she hadn't thought about it. Harry had gone to stay with muggles and little Teddy was likely going to stay with Andromeda. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. That wasn't her world now she had to stop thinking about it and just get through this.

"Mine died to." She hadn't meant to say that. She'd just meant to say she was sorry for his loss and let them go back into silence. She nearly groaned at herself.

"I don't like the family I'm staying with." He told her sullenly, kicking his feet under the table.

"Are they mean to you?" The genuine concern she felt when she asked surprised her.

"They're too nice." She raised her eyebrow and waited for him to finish. He sighed. "I think they want to keep me."

Hermione didn't understand why that constituted as a bad thing for an orphan. "Do they hurt you?"

"No," That sigh again. "But they aren't mommy and daddy." She wondered if he knew his mom and dad were not coming back to get him. If he knew what death meant.

"No. And they won't ever be your mommy and daddy. But if they are nice to you and want to keep you they must love you."

He frowned. "But," he trailed off and stared at the table. "I can't do magic."

"Are you muggle born?" He shook his head.

"My mommy and daddy were awesome. They could do all sorts stuff. But I can't do nothing the other kids can." His bright blue eyes teared up.

Hermione stared at him silently for a moment before ruffling his messy blonde hair. "I had a friend who didn't show his powers until someone chucked him off a balcony. Well, they didn't notice anyways."

"Will you chuck me off a balcony then?" he asked hopefully.

"No." His little smile faded. "I'm telling you it's okay if you don't have powers. You can do amazing things with out them. If you are comfortable with yourself don't let anyone else tell you who to be or what you have to be able to do. I know people braver than Auroras who weren't very strong but they never gave up and they saved the world from a very bad man."

"Is this a story?" He tilted his little head to the side and regarded her curiously. Despite herself she smiled.

"Would you like to hear one. I'll tell it to as long as you promise not to jump off anything high." He nodded sheepishly. "A promise means something" she told him, "all the magic in the world won't do you any good if you don't keep your word." He nodded more seriously than a four year old had any right to and she found herself believing he'd keep his promise.

"When I was eleven I got a surprise. I was a witch…." She told him how three kids protected something important, fought for each other, loved each other and supported each other. How they overcame triumphs adults couldn't have possibly achieved. She left out all the scary bits but kept it interesting enough for him to be paying attention. She ended the story with the triumph at the Triwizard Cup. Cedric didn't die and the evil man, as she had been calling him, was defeated.

"That was so cool. But it just makes me wish I could do magic. I could be a hero like Harold." She grimaced at the fake name she had used. Harry would not have appreciated it.

"You can be just like Har- er- Harold even if you never get magic. You don't have to stay in the wizarding world. The world is big and you can be anything if you put your mind to it."

"I really want magic." Hermione sighed and moved back enough to pull the boy into her lap. She stroked his hair and hugged him tight.

"Your very young. And very smart. You will be okay, even without it."

"But I don't think they will love me if they find out." He mumbled into her borrowed robes. So that had been the real reason. She frowned and glanced down to see Loki was stroking the kids back in a soothing way with a little frown on his face. A quick glance down just showed Crookshanks ignoring them and staring down a rather large crow sitting on top of the ice cream shop. Hermione had a rather strange feeling that was not a damn crow. And it would explain why she had been sitting with the kid for more than thirty minutes with no parent showing up. She gave it a sharp glare and the bird tilted it's head.

"If they love you now and want to keep you not having magic isn't going to change that. If they want to be your parents, raise you and love you like you're their child then whatever you chose to do will make them proud."

"Even without magic?" He held tight to the fabric at her shoulders and kept his face buried in her neck. She could feel his tears, likely he was too proud to show her or anyone else he was crying. Was probably embarrassed.

The crow glided down and morphed into someone that made Hermione's breath catch and her heart stutter. "We will love you even if you don't have magic, Zachery. That's what parents do and whatever you think we already love you as a son." The woman's attention turned toward Hermione when her son looked up and she smiled kindly, confusing Hermione even more while she tried to separate the new reality from the old. "I see Lily has found Loki a owner." The monkey actually gave the woman the bird finger, she chuckled instead of yelling as Hermione had expected. She reached for the boy and pulled away slightly as Hermione flinched away. Crookshanks hissed a warning.

"Oh! Shit." McGonagall chose that moment to find her wayward new student and stood staring at the scene with a weary expression. She had no idea what had happened between the two women in Hermione's time but the girl looked more than a little shell shocked. Some of that shock was hearing McGonagall curse.

 **A/N; So sorry I'm so sleepy I'm leaving it off here. Try not to speculate, it could be who your thinking…might not be.**


	9. Mothers

**A/N: I wanted it to be longer but my kid has open house today. Yay me she is about to start school ! I would have so much free time! If she didn't have a sister exactly a year younger who isn't ready to go yet. But I'm excited for my little prek kid anyways. Will probably update again late tonight.**

McGonagall glanced between Hermione and the woman holding her newly found son. She hoped to Merlin nothing had happened to the girl at the hands of her….but seeing as she had seen a few of her memories the chances of that was very slim.

"Hermione this is-"

"Narcissa Malfoy." The blonde smiled charmingly at her.

"Yes." McGonagall said slowly. "She is the nicest witch I know." Narcissa obviously missed the tense undertones in the professor's voice, her smile didn't falter as she bent to put the little boy down.

"Come now, you know Andromeda, she is the nicest witch you know. I'm just better at tolerating idiots than Bella. Andy is the blooming saint in the family." She said with a good natured chuckle. She reach down and ruffled the little boys messy hair. "We are going to have a talk about running off mister. But you also need to know we love you a lot and we want you to stay with us forever. Even if you never go to Hogwarts or have magic."

He glanced back toward Hermione and she could see his nervous smile. It was small but it was obvious he wanted to stay with her and wanted her to love him. It was strange seeing a maternal Malfoy. She knew the woman was willing to sacrifice everything for her son but this just felt different. Warm instead of the cold calculated way she ensure Draco's survival.

"Hermione?" She hadn't taken her eyes off of Malfoy and the boy until the teacher pressed a hand against her back. "Are you alright?" Little Loki tried to give her what was left of his ice cream cone. Obviously he thought it would cheer her up. She actually laughed a bit at him.

"Yes I'm fine." It wasn't as bad as she thought. Not that she had ever expected to run into her but maybe if seeing her wasn't so bad Bellatrix wouldn't be either. Although….Narcissa had never physically touched Hermione. Ever.

"Are you ready to go shopping for clothes then?" Narcissa, who had been trying to deter the four year old from taking the half eaten cone the monkey was offering him, glanced up at them in surprise.

"Clothes? Your going out into the muggle world?" Hermione figured it was time for Malfoy's prejudice to show, despite all her bravado with her foster son. "I've been needing to pick up something for Zachery. Clothis just hasn't got his size and the way he is outgrowing things it would be faster if I just went into London than waiting for her to make him new ones. I could get a lot more in London." She said to herself, surprising the hell out of Hermione. "Do you think we could tag along?"

McGonagall grimaced. She had no idea how to refuse but she didn't figure Hermione would want to accompany the sister of the woman that tormented her. Even if she was completely different. McGonagall wasn't even sure on that part.

"It's alright. I don't mind." It wasn't actually that easy to say. She didn't mind the company. Not the person. She just didn't want to engage in conversation. There was nothing about herself she could answer.

"I have your size if you'd rather stay behind. I know you are rather tired after your long trip." The professor offered kindly. She saw the conflicted look cross the young woman's face. Hermione was grateful of the out. She wanted to go into the muggle world but she didn't want to go with company. She wanted to visit her parent's graves. See for herself.

"I think…I think that would be best. I can take them back with me to school."

Narcissa glanced down at the girl in concern. "Do you need help. I can apparate you to Hogsmeade and she can take the-"

"I can handle it. I'm used to apparating." In battle no less accompanied by two grown boys but she didn't say that to them.

Crookshanks made his way over to her and placed his paw on her leg. She bent over and scooped him up with some effort. His ass was considerably heavier than she remembered. Lily obviously spoiled him. "Loki come along." The monkey grinned at the little boy and climbed up onto Crookshanks with barely a grumbled from the cat. "It was nice to meet you Zachery. Maybe I will see you again." She had just enough time before she apparated to see him grinning widely at her, apparently his concerns all forgotten now that his mother had declared her unwavering love for him. She was glad she could help something work out. Merlin knew she had helped destroy enough over the years.


	10. Be Brave

" **There are so many ways to be brave in this world. Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself, or for someone else. Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater.**

 **But sometimes it doesn't.**

 **Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life.**

 **That is the sort of bravery I must have now."**

 **Veronica Roth**

Hermione let Crookshanks jump out of her arms at the first sight of the snowy wizard streets of Hogsmeade. Loki climbed up on her shoulder, content not to touch the snow with his little feet. She stood there for a moment, the streets were busy but not nearly as much as Diagon Alley had been, still…wizards and witches alike gave her a wide berth. She in turn paid them no mind.

She didn't follow Crookshank's path back to the castle though and he only turned around once to see if she was following. He didn't stop or slow down even when he noticed she wasn't coming after him. She smiled slightly, same old Crookshanks.

She didn't want to go back to the castle. Not yet, she couldn't look at the Great Hall and hear the memories of so many people crying and asking the unanswered question of why. Why are you still alive? She had been in the thick of things from the very beginning. So why was she and her friends left alive when so many other innocent people who had only been defending themselves and those they had loved… Why were so many children dead? Children who hadn't known what they were getting involved in.

She didn't have answers for those memories. And despite the fact the Great Hall would be filled with those very same dead children she didn't know how to face them. She only wanted to be alone with her thoughts and demons. At least for a while.

Unfortunately it didn't look like Loki had any intention of getting off her shoulder and touching the cold snow. He hadn't seemed to mind the cold when he was scarfing down his ice cream but now he was snuggling into her hair and scarf like it was the start of a new ice age.

"You're a devilish little thing aren't you?" He made a high pitched noise she took as agreement and headed off with him into the forest. She wasn't going to go too deep, she would probably have gotten lost despite all the time they had spent in it. She wasn't familiar with the area surrounding Hogsmeade though, and she knew dangerous things lurked within the shadows of the forbidden forest.

Still there was something calming about being surrounded by the trees. About not seeing anyone in the distance, only snow and woods as far as her eyes could see. It reminded her of their time in the forest of Dean. She wished she were back there now, she would do it all over again. All the battles all the bruises, cuts, and fights if it meant she would have her friends back. If she could get her world back.

Her stomach churned as she thought about how selfish her thoughts were. As they turned back to all the broken families and dead friends. Molly hadn't deserved to lose her son. And all those muggle born children who had been unable to return to school….she glanced up at the cloudy sky and wondered what had happened to them. To their families. The Death Eaters would have hunted them down, children without the ability to really defend themselves and their families.

She shivered at the thought. They had been as good as dead. It was bad enough watching the adults go through all that terror, and Harry had told them of the woman they had tried for stealing wands….The trials had been a farce.

She pulled her thoughts away. It wasn't going to do her any good to dwell on things that didn't exist in this world. She needed to get herself together and find a way to live. She was going to have to navigate two years of Hogwarts on her own. With no family to speak of and at the moment no friends to fall back on for support. All she had was a small mischievous monkey and a aloof cat. And two teachers who had no idea of the obstacles she had faced.

She sat on a fallen tree trunk and ignored the cold snow seeping in through her cloaks. She held her head in her hands and let the tears fall, ignoring even Loki's gentle petting. It was all so much more than she bargained for. It was all so much better for everyone but her. If someone had offered her a way home right then she would have taken it. Consequences be damned. Even though her very soul hurt at the thought she couldn't like to herself. She didn't know if she was brave enough to face the unknown alone.

~M~

Minerva McGonagall made it back to the school what felt like years later. She felt so old and exhausted, she honestly wondered how women like Malfoy could shop for so long and still have energy to spare.

She had managed to get a few things for the teen. Things Malfoy had assured her she would like, if Hermione hadn't looked like the last thing she wanted was to spend time with the blonde she would have made her come along. As it was she couldn't have put the girl through any more hardships. Losing your parents friends and entire world in one day was enough to drive anyone insane. If the girl was truly going to stay it was going to be a difficult adjustment and she was going to do everything in her power to help.

She deposited the packages in the sixth year girl's dormitory, not at all surprised no one was around. It was time for dinner after all as her stomach continued to remind her.

She idly wondered how little Zach was getting along as she made her way back down the moving staircase toward the Great Hall. Malfoy hadnt look like her shopping trip was going to be over any time soon. She had felt a little guilty for leaving them but she really had felt like she was about to drop, she was an old woman after all. Thankfully tomorrow was a school day and she had quickly jumped on the excuse to retire.

None of the students paid her any mind as she walked in through the archway. Her eyes sought out Harry and Ron, both of whom gave her a cheeky smile. One that promised they were up to no good and likely to get detention before they ever made it back to the common room. She didn't have time for them however, tonight would be the first night she didn't hound them about not causing trouble. As disturbing as their mischievous grins were it was what she didn't see that caused the wrinkling above her brow.

Hermione Granger wasn't in the Great Hall. She hadn't been in the dormitory either and since Pomfrey was at the staff's table Hermione couldn't have been in the hospital wing. The nurse wouldn't have left the girl alone in her domain, she never let any students alone in the wing, she had meals brought to her if she had a student in residence.

They didn't really know the girl well enough to know where else she would have gone. And despite all the stress she'd been under, Minerva was sure the girl would need to eat by now. There was no where else to get food in the castle besides the kitchen and Great Hall and students weren't allowed in the kitchen. Hermione had no money either, so she knew she couldn't have taken her meal at Hogsmeade.

She quickened her pace and moved to her seat beside Dumbledore. He nodded slightly to her in greeting while taking a rather large sip from his goblet. It sure didn't smell like pumpkin juice but after the past few days the two of them had had she couldn't judge him, she could have used a good bottle of fire whiskey herself.

"Have you seen Granger since this afternoon?" She asked him quietly.

"No." He replied in concern. "Were you not with her in Diagon Alley?"

"We separated. Malfoy made an appearance….It's not important. She left hours ago she should have been back at the castle by now." Minerva stared out across the students just in case Hermione had opted to sit at another table. It wasn't forbidden for houses to mix after all.

"She had made up her mind to stay, but if she has chosen to leave and decided to do so without our aide we will not stop her." He said, much to her surprise.

"She is still a child." Her Scottish accent became slightly more pronounced at his lack of apparent concern for her student's whereabouts.

"She is much more than that. I think you know this." He fiddled with his silverware and stared blankly at the crowds of students. "If she has not returned by midnight we will seek her out. But she is….she has more than proven she is capable of taking care of herself. And she is of age."

"She is just a child, Albus." She protested, despite knowing it wasn't true. Hermione hadn't been a child for a long time, they honestly knew so little about her life but they did know that much. Hermione Granger had far more experience than either of them. Dumbledore may have been considered the most powerful wizard in the world but both were wondering if Hermione would be able to give him a run for his money. She surely knew a lot of the dark arts, a lot of forbidden magic, even if she had no inclination to use it.

"Let her come to us on her own. She said she wished to return, wished to return to her house. We will have faith that she spoke truthfully." His slow tenor annoyed her but she couldn't come up with a sound argument. She surely didn't want to push Hermione away by smothering her. And the girl didn't deserve to have her every move watched. There was nothing she could do anyway until the girl decided to show up, for all Minerva knew she could have been hiding away inside the castle. She was probably worrying for no reason at all. "We will ensure she is safe if she does not return by midnight, Minerva, but we will not influence her decision has she decided to leave."

She nodded but said no more. Her food remained on her plate untouched as she watched the entrance nervously for any sign of her new charge.

~B~

Bellatrix was cursing. She had been enjoying her whiskey when the damn monkey from Lily Potter's shop had upending the entire bottle into the snow. She had chased the blasted thing all through the streets and into the forest and now she was pretty sure she was lost. She would have just apparated away but any time she thought about that the little trickster would let her glimpse him and she'd chase him around again.

Not to mention she was only slightly drunk and afraid she might not make it to the right destination.

She was getting cold and wet though and it was starting to snow. "You know what, Loki, enough is enough. I hope you freeze your balls off out here but I'm not following you another second. I hope you learn how to apparate." She was wondering if Lily would really miss the little devil when he appeared tugging on her robe lapels in obvious concern. She was going to hex him, only a little bit mind, but his expression caused her pause. He really looked worried about something.

"Have you been trying to get me to follow you to save a bloody unicorn or something?" She asked irritably. He only pulled harder and pointed his little finger toward a clearing in the woods. All she could make out was a fallen tree trunk and snow. He pulled with both his little hands and planted his feet in the snow, she didn't budge. He chippered away annoyingly and continued to pull.

She sighed heavily. "Oh alright." It was the only warning the little fuzz ball got before she practically stepped over him. Pulling him with her forward momentum, he clamored awkwardly up toward her shoulder and she winced as he took hold of her ear. She swatted at him and he switched his grip to her curly hair. It wasn't really an improvement.

He pointed toward the log and bounced impatiently up and down as she made her way closer to it. At first all she could see was the wood and a pile of snow beside it. She let out a panicked gasp when she saw the shoe and fingers sticking out of the snow pile. There was someone buried unconscious under it all. And a fallen limb beside them.

She didn't really have time to think as she pulled the person free, her worry intensified when she saw the school robes. She made sure to keep a tight grip on the blonde girl and told Loki to hold on tightly as she apparated …straight into the bar. She had been aiming for Mungo's.

A woman screamed at her sudden pop and Rosmerta waved her dish rag at her in irritation before she noticed the student in Bellatrix's arms. "Oh...The floo the floo!" The voluptuous woman grabbed the green powder from behind her counter and tossed it into her fireplace. "Help her get the girl to the chimney, Lagley."

One of her less drunk compatriots grabbed the sleeping girl's feet, really not that much help at all, but they managed to get her into a better position so she wasn't injured when Bella used the floo to take her back to the castle.

The trip wasn't very easy, floo wasn't really made to escort two people and a monkey but she aimed for the closest place and prayed no one was injured in the process. It would have been better going to Mungo's but Pomfrey's office was the second best place she could think of. And it was indeed a hell of a lot closer.

"Fetch someone will you?" She pushed Loki off her shoulder, a feat since he had been holding on for dear life after the rough trip. He did as he was told though she just hoped he came back with a proper adult and not some first year, she had never found the little cretin to be too reliable.

She supposed she was going to have to change her opinion on that. He had saved the girl from freezing to death after all. Even if he had found her and not some other, more responsible, adult.

Bella managed to get the student into a bed and under the covers. She had just cast a gentle warming spell over her when the nurse herself burst in through the double doors. Bella couldn't help but roll her eyes at the dramatics. Except for being slightly chilled the girl wasn't really any worse for wear. Her head had a large bump on it though letting her know her theory derived from the broken tree limb had likely been correct.


	11. Are People So Different?

**A/N: Had a little bit of personal drama. All settled now and going to include it, with my gfs permission, in my Worst Witch fiction. I read an article I loved about how authors sometimes discover things about their characters they didn't know, even after the books are over and done with. I love it because I firmly believe that all the good characters are alive, in the thoughts of the author and the readers. I love that in some ways they continue to live on, either happily ever after or otherwise.  
**

" **People like to say that the conflict is between good and evil, the real conflict is between truth and lies."**

 **-Don Miguel Ruiz**

Bella did her best to ignore the nurse, her attention was focused on the young woman resting in the bed. She was…familiar but Bella couldn't place her to save her life. She wore Hogwarts's robes, but not with any house color and she was sure she would have remembered a student like her. She couldn't describe it but….even asleep the girl gave off a strange feeling.

She reached out a hand towards the girl's brown locks without thinking, completely unaware of Pomfrey watching her cautiously. Bella was so focused on Hermione she didn't notice the woman's cease of movement and the pause in her never-ending fussing, she didn't hear the door open either as Loki led in Minerva and Dumbledore.

"Bellatrix Black, what in Merlin's name have you done?" Minerva's voice snapped the raven-haired woman out of whatever spell had captured her attention and she turned around trying to hide her embarrassment at being caught off guard until the tone and words of Minerva's voice made its way through the haze in her mind, then the anger set in. It didn't matter that Dumbledore had already elbowed the transfiguration teacher pointedly or that the older woman looked chagrin by her tone.

"Are you accusing me of something Professor?" She kept her voice calm, haughty as her father taught her, Cissy would have been proud. She felt somewhat placated by the look that crossed her friend and colleague's face.

"Nothing, I'm sorry Bella it's been a rough night is all and she is a…"

"New transfer student. A distant relative of Minerva's." Dumbledore said quickly, ignoring the dark witch's curious star. They didn't often…they never actually, got transfer students.

The two made their way slowly toward the side of Hermione's bed, Bella stepped back only slightly to allow Minerva space, the older witch shot her a puzzled look but Bella ignored it. She didn't have any idea why she wanted to stay close to the girl, except for maybe having saved her from freezing to death.

"What happened to her?" Minerva asked, her long fingers reaching out and smoothing a strand of wild hair away from the girl's relaxed face. Dumbledore reached out and pulled her hand away when the girl stirred. He didn't have to say the words aloud, McGonagall seemed to understand, he didn't think the girl should be touched, in her sleep or otherwise, he didn't know how she would react to it. It would do them no good if they had to subdue her if she woke up fighting. And to be honest he wasn't sure they would be able to. He did know how she would react to waking up and seeing Bellatrix. That was better done gently and when she was better prepared for it.

"Loki dragged me out into the woods just outside of Hogsmeade. She was nearly buried in snow and unconscious."

Minerva made a sharp gasp and hit the Headmaster's shoulder with her fist. "I told you we should have gone out and searched for her." He looked properly chastised.

"Will she be alright?" He asked the quiet Pomfrey.

The woman huffed, "She will be right as rain soon as she wakes up. I think it's wise to let her awake on her own. I'll send her up to her dormitory afterward." Dumbledore nodded and Pomfrey walked off towards her office muttering under her breath the whole way. "More than any student already and she hasn't even started classes yet. Going to be seeing a lot of that one. Blimey, it's like the twins are back again."

"She's already in a house?" Bella asked as casually as possible.

"Mine," Minerva said stiffly, she knew Bella would protest she closed her eyes in preparation.

"You gave her a proper sorting without the other heads?" Bella didn't sound all that upset actually, Minerva turned away from Hermione to see the woman was barely paying any attention at all to them, she doubted the D.A teacher was even paying attention to the question she'd just asked. Her gaze was riveted on Hermione and it unnerved her, the subtle look on Bella's face, almost as if she recognized her but couldn't figure out how.

"She chose on her own. Middle of term and all thought it was easier, and the hat won't go against her wishes anyway." It was a weak argument, even if it was true but Bella didn't protest anymore.

"Perhaps we should all retire, Madame Pomfrey will take good care of Ms. Granger until she wakes." Dumbledore turned and ushered them both out the door, he had an uneasy feeling he couldn't keep blaming on indigestion. He had no idea what he was going to do when Bella realized who Hermione Granger was, why the girl looked so familiar to her. He hated lying but he was going to have to come up with a good one because he could not tell the woman the truth, it was Hermione's secret to tell.

~H~

Loki was sleeping soundly on her chest but otherwise, she awoke alone. If it hadn't been for his presence she might have thought everything had been just a dream.

She took her time getting up, she could see the darkness outside through the windows and knew everyone else would have been asleep. She was sure she needed to go to the Dormitory but she had never been given the password, an oversight she could forgive her head of house in light of everything.

She really only had two choices, well three actually and she knew which one she was going to take she just needed to be sure and weigh the other two as well. She could stay and listen to Pomfrey moan about her being back only on her second day, or she could go to McGonagall's rooms and ask for the password. Or, and this was what she was actually going to do, she could sneak off to the room of requirement for the rest of the night and face the rest of her house in the morning.

She pushed Loki off and got shakily to her feet. Her head was pounding but it wasn't anything she couldn't manage on her own. Still, she reached back up and winced as her fingers touched the large bump under her hair. Something had whacked her pretty good, she wondered who found her and brought her back to school.

Loki made a funny chirping noise and climbed sleepily up her robes and nestled into the crook of her shoulder, before falling back asleep. She wondered how he was going to keep his balance when she started walking but she needn't have worried, his little body didn't stir a hit as she let herself out into the pitch black halls.

She fumbled a bit for her wand and let out a relieved sigh when she finally found it in a pocket. She couldn't remember putting it there but that could have been from the bump to the head, still, it wasn't like her not to have it tucked in her sleeve and ready for use at a moments notice. She had long ago perfected that art and never worried about losing it.

At least it was there this time. She didn't know what she would have done if it had been lost again. She couldn't see going back to McGonagall and explaining that. A quick Lumos spell lit the corridor and she trudged off toward the seventh floor and the room of requirement.

It was a familiar enough path for her but she found herself wishing she had Harry's map or his invisibility cloak, she also wondered if those items were even in this world. It didn't really matter if they did, she couldn't see him just handing over such precious items to someone he didn't know.

She was rather grateful she didn't have to trek up the path through the moving staircases, her head felt a little funny and she didn't feel like testing her stomachs strength by the sudden moving of the ground beneath her feet. Unfortunately, she knew the other paths were usually the ones the teachers most patrolled at night. Likely that didn't change with the rest of the world after all students were always going to test boundaries and blatantly break rules, she had practically based her entire school life on it. 

Unfortunately, as perhaps like always, luck wasn't with her. She had no sooner turned a corner than she ran into Severus Snape himself. One of the two teachers she did not want to see alone in a dark corridor, and not for the reasons she would have thought of in her earlier days at school.

He waved his wand in her face and lit it without saying a word. "Who are you? I have never seen you before." He still had the slow drawl she was used to hearing, except it didn't carry the usual bite he had put in it when reprimanding her in class.

"Hermione Granger, Professor. I just transferred, I was in the hospital wing and decided I best go to my dorm...only no one told me the password." She was aware of all the holes in her plausible explanation but she just could say more and she wasn't about to tell the man the truth, she was still trying to wrap her mind around seeing him.

"Hermione Granger..." He would have said more but luck would have it Sybil Trelawny came tottering around the way, likely headed back to her tower and obviously more than a little tipsy. Hermione wasn't sure if she was glad to see the woman still looked exactly the same, still wore the ridiculously multi-colored robes and the huge glasses that magnified her already large blue-gray eyes.

"Severus!" The witch slurred happily, Hermione was sure she had never heard any of the teachers, apart from Dumbledore maybe, every sound so happy to see Snape. "Want to join me for a nightcap, celebrating the birth of my newest grandson...or granddaughter...well can't remember right now, it'll come back in the morning. Going to be a healthy baby, healthy mother, all good. Father will break his leg though, fainting...going to be very funny. Going to make a good story." She wobbled a bit and clapped the exasperated looking potions teacher on the shoulder. Hermione wondered if her prediction abilities were better than they had been in her world. She knew now not to be so dismissive of the woman's talents, but she also knew much of what Trelawny predicted inside the school was just pretense.

"Congratulations, Sybil, but as you can see I'm in the middle of patrolling and have just found a student out of bed." The girl wondered how he always made everything sound like it took forever to say. Perhaps he had a parent who forced him to enunciate every syllable as a child. Purebloods were rather weird after all, with the hedonistic beliefs and rants about superiority...but then again, if she remembered correctly, Snape hadn't been a pureblood, he'd been a half-blood. 

He stared at her sharply and she instantly brought up shields in her mind. She had forgotten he had been the one to try and teach Harry occulency, he was rather proficient in both that at legilimency. And she could not afford to let her guard down. She wasn't entirely sure what harm it would do but she felt, in her very bones, that it wouldn't be wise to find out. People could be dangerous if they realized there was another version of themselves somewhere doing something completely different, something grand and possibly vile. 

She couldn't afford to let anyone gain the knowledge of horcruxes either. Voldemort may have become a model citizen here but even her world had not been short on power hunger witches and wizards. There would always be a metaphorical Voldemort ready to rise to power and instill terror and chaos upon the world.

She visibly shook herself and forced herself to listen to the teachers in front of her. Trelawny was staring at her in mild confusion and shaking her head at something Snape had said. "No, don't think I have ever seen her before." Hermione nearly groaned in annoyance, she really hoped the two didn't march her off to Dumbledore's office in the middle of the night just because they didn't believe she was a transfer student.

"I really did just transfer in, McGonagall even took me shopping in Diagon Alley yesterday for everything."

Snape stared at her curiously. "You're the student Bellatrix found outside of Hogsmeade in the snow?" Hermione forced herself not to react to the woman's name but she couldn't completely stop herself from subconsciously rubbing at the fabric covering up the hideous scar.

"Snow? I hadn't heard about that." Snape glanced a little behind him at the flamboyant witch and slightly grimaced. Even Hermione knew why she hadn't heard about it, she had been drinking away at the tavern.

"I was just on my way up to get some rest, I'm very tired." Hermione yawned for effect and hoped the two would just drop all this. She didn't know what had happened in the snow. She had heard feet crunching the snow, Loki had screeched and runoff and the next thing she knew it was lights out. She wasn't going to tell them that. She didn't need any more trouble and she hadn't even been robbed so she was sure she had imagined things. 

"Oh, you poor dear. What house are you in?" Hermione told her rather reluctantly, very aware of the critical stare Snape was fixing her with. He seemed a little more suspicious of her than she would have thought. She was after all clearly in the castle wearing the school robes, perhaps not her house robes at the moment, but still Wizarding robes. "I'll take you on up dear," Trelawny tottered past Snape and reached out a hand to clasp at Hermione's robes. She missed on the first go but got it in the second.

Hermione reached up to steady the teacher and was startled when the woman's eyes glazed over to a hazy grayish white. She stared fixedly at a point behind Hermione's head and her grip on the girl's robes became like a vise.

 _ **"Long has he waited for one such as you. Restless in his prison, betrayed by his brother and people he has waited for the time when he would be free. You coming has heralded in the disturbance that will break apart the barrier sealing him from the outside world. His people will rally to their king's call, thousands strong and loyal. Not even his blood is enough to stop the surging tide that will fall upon our land in the form of the bloodiest war since his long-forgotten banishment.  
**_

_**Nothing can stop him from fulfilling his great and terrible destiny save the one who has won the war that was never fought. He will seek you out in the darkest of the night when the stars have fallen in great waves of fire from the moonless night. He will be persuasive and cunning and he will speak to you of a future that is both grand and seductive.  
**_

_**Chose his side and bring about a new age of magic, open with the world and free of all prejudices, become his bride and together you will become the greatest and most feared rulers in all of history. Choose another and the path is far less certain. Choose your greatest enemy, fiercest and most frightening foe, and fight with him in a glorious battle that will be forgotten by all who witnessed it. The outcome unknown. The winner yet to be determined.**_

 _ **The fate of the world lies on your shoulders, your choices have consequences. There is no right or wrong. There is no good or evil. There is only you. Only logic and a girl who has died, yet become the soldier that escaped her death.**_

 _ **He knows you live. He knows you are here and he is coming."**_

Snape and Hermione stared at the woman in mock horror. It stood to reason Snape had never heard her mutter a prophecy like she just had. No Voldemort to kill Harry's parents meant no prophecy of the boy who lived. But properly looking at him had her wondering if that was indeed the case. If perhaps this wasn't the first prophecy Trelawny had made. She wished she could say it wasn't about her but what other reason would she have had for speaking it the very moment she lay hands on her.

"She just added to-" He stopped and stared in horror and fascination at Hermione. She didn't much like the look. He reached out and pulled the divination teacher off her.

"Was I saying something?" She slurred.

"No. You head on up to your rooms Sybil. I'll take Ms." He hesitated a bit at her name, "Granger, up to her rooms." He reached out and tugged Hermione closer to him and away from Sybil, in case she argued and turned on his heels and strode off, by force of habit Hermione followed after him.

It was evident after only a few minutes that they weren't heading up to Gryffindor common rooms, she told him so which he ignored. She was used to Snape ignoring her but it was really starting to grate on her nerves. Prophecies and the like was not what she wanted to hear on her first few days in the world. She hadn't even started classes yet for heaven's sake. And she especially didn't like the idea of becoming someone's bride or choosing a foe. Likely the foe would turn out to be someone like Voldemort. She could not imagine choosing his side over anything.

"Professor! Where are we going, this isn't the way to any common room or a teacher's rooms, this is..." It was the way to the library. What in Merlin's name could Snape want from the library at this time of night? 

He glanced over his shoulder at her with a raised eye. She made sure to strengthen her mental shields just in case. She didn't want him to know she was even slightly freaked out about a prophecy, students, normal students, shouldn't even really be thinking about the repercussions. They should just be thinking Trelawny had some kind of weird meltdown induced by alcohol. 

"I need a book." She gritted her teeth at the way he said it as if it was the most logical and expected answer in the world and she was stupid for even asking. It reminded her of _her_ potions teacher. Which in turn reminded her that Snape sacrificed his life so that they could defeat Voldemort, and was perhaps the greatest war hero of her reality. He had played his part well, until the very end. 

She grew quiet as she remembered. He spared her another glance, obviously expecting some kind of witty response, he didn't know why he was surprised when she didn't give one. He didn't know her after all, despite the fact that he felt like he did. He felt he should, at the very least, know why her name sounded so familiar.

It took them a few minutes to walk back down to the first floor, Snape led her through some secret passageways she had never seen before and surely never saw on the Marauders Map. She followed along dutifully and quiet, keeping her wand lit because Snape had never bothered to light his. Likely he didn't even need it to find his way around the castle. He had been a student for the seven years and a professor there for far longer than that after all. 

She nearly ran into him when he stopped in front of the library doors. He shot her a glare and she shrugged. She really just wanted to go to bed. She didn't have Ron and Harry's enthusiasm for knowing every little secret in the teacher's lives. And she was so tired of being involved in life and death plots. Surely someone else could take a turn. She definitively didn't have a hero complex and she had already done her bit by helping to save the world from Voldemort. That had to be enough for the universe to give her a peaceful life, surely being in another one didn't negate that.

"We're here." Snape drawled. Even if she hadn't known she could have guessed by his sudden stop. He pushed the doors open and led her back through the stacks to the gates of the forbidden books. She watched as he pulled out a key and slipped it in the old iron lock. Seconds later the door slip open with a squeaky hinged sound. He motioned for her to go first and she had a quick flash of distrust settle over her. Surely he didn't mean to lock her inside with the books. She could think of worse places, some even inside the school, but it didn't mean she wanted to be locked away for the night. She was starting to think she should have just stayed and let Pomfrey fuss about her being in the hospital wing too much. At least she would have gotten a bit of sleep.

Snape scoffed at her hesitation and actually handed her the set of keys. "Barbaric, don't you think. Locking a student away. If I were going to do that I would simply wake up Mr. Filch." She glared at him but walked in beyond the gate with her wand held high. "Shine the light here, I wish to find a certain book."

She wanted to ask him why he didn't just get his own wand out and do it all himself and leave her in peace, but self-preservation and the desire not to have detention on her first few days stilled her tongue. 

He searched for what she swore was hours, pulled book after book off the shelves until finally, he said 'aha!' and ushered her over to a table, the only table that didn't have books piled high on it. Hermione read the cover just before he flipped the page open and scoffed. Surely it was a work of fiction. Why it was in the restricted section she couldn't guess. There was no such thing as _The Draconian, Men of Dragon Blood._ Surely that book couldn't suggest that people could be dragons. To her knowledge, there weren't even any animagi that could turn into anything that large. 

"Men of the Dragons. Good read." Snape stared up at her. " And oddly enough, Sybil's grandmother made a prophecy, just like what Trelawny just did, about this very book and its fictional king." He found the page he was looking for, she could see dark quickly scratched words that had been added well after the book was published. He turned it sharply toward her so she wasn't gazing at it upside down. "Same kind of Prophecy only...instead of given to the only 'hope' it was made to the 'rebels'. To the Dragomir."

She tried to make out the words scratched into the book but the handwriting was just too atrocious. She glanced back up at Snape curiously. "Professor, what does any of this have to do with me? Surely whatever Professor Trelawney just said wasn't about me." 

He blinked at her before he shook his head as if to clear it. She couldn't help but notice a gleam in his eyes seemed to dim. She hadn't even noticed the determined look until it was gone until it was replaced by a doleful and defeated dullness. He rubbed his hands together and fixed his face into a mask of indifference. "No," He drawled, back to his calm and slow mannerism instead of the slightly excited way he had been speaking just seconds before. "I suppose it has nothing at all to do with you. Come." He said sharply and briskly walked back by her toward the doors. "Its early hours and you should rest before breakfast. I'll take you back to the hospital wing." She wanted to protest but a glare from him and she wisely kept quiet. Whatever he had hoped for he had evidently shelved, at least for now. 

She started to follow him but something tugged at her mind. She turned back to the desk and snapped the book shut before tucking it under her arm. He turned and raised an eyebrow at her but didn't protest. If anything she thought she might have seen a slight flicker in his eyes as he stared at her. She did her best to ignore all the prophecy business and tried to think she was only interested in the book because it might be a good read. She wasn't very convincing even in her own head. 


	12. Nightly visits

**A/N; My girlfriend wanted to know why I put the quotes up because sometimes they don't really go with the chapter. I don't put them up for the chapter I put them up because I stumbled on to them and they inspired something in me the day I wrote the chapter. So, love, I do them cause I wanna, I mean you seen my tats I love quotes! They are awesome. Also guys if your reading just a brand I let my gf read those chapters ahead of time but I make her read these as they come out with you guys. Makes her so mad…..**

" **The really difficult moral issues arise, not from a confrontation of good and evil, but from a collision between two goods."**

 _-Irving Kristol_

Snape had delivered the girl back to Pomfrey's care, she had asked to be shown to the Gryffindor commons room but he was a Slytherin teacher, even if not the head of his house. He didn't know the password for her to pass The Fat Lady, and the old set of pipes didn't care for him because he had once criticized her singing ability, she wouldn't let Hermione in on just his word the girl was in Gryffindor. If she wanted to go to her commons room she would have to wake up Minerva, she had declined and reluctantly allowed him to escort her back to the hospital wing.

As soon as he had ensure she was staying, he had waited a few minutes outside the heavy doors in case she tried to sneak out again, he turned and headed up to the bored Gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office. "Red Hots." The gargoyle slid back and the staircase spiraled upward with the sound of stone slowly scraping against stone. Snape shivered, he hated that sound, reminded him of fingernails on chalk boards.

He didn't let the stairs carry him to the top as most did, he waited for them to stop moving before he stepped onto them and climbed to the top. He would have knocked on the door had it actually been closed, instead he pushed it the rest of the way open and wasn't really surprised to see the Headmaster sitting at his solid wood desk frowning at whatever papers he was reading. It was often the case when he visited Dumbledore, the ministry often sent letters asking for advisement to the old man, he always frowned over them.

"What brings you here at this late of an hour, Severus?" He asked slowly, curiously, without looking up from his papers.

Snape moved forward and put both his hands on the desk, he leaned forward until Dumbledore gazed up at him from over the tops of his half moon spectacles. "Hermione Granger." He said evenly, as if the name itself could convey everything he was thinking.

Dumbledore sighed and glanced toward his pensieve. He wonder if he should show Snape the girl's memories. He doubted it would do any good, it wasn't going to stop Severus.

"Yes, I have met her. And yes she is technically the same girl you met all those years ago."

"She was dead." Snape muttered. "I went to the hospital, I saw her body before the muggles carried it away. There was no life there. Had there been I would have spirited her away, you know that." Dumbledore nodded, he set his papers aside to give his professor his full attention.

He had always thought Snape an honorable man, he did what he thought was right even if others disagreed. If he had made it to Hermione Granger before her death he would have kidnapped the girl, obliviated whoever he had to in order to bring her back to his master, Dumbledore knew this. It created certain problems for him now, with her alive he knew Snape's loyalties would be divided. It was a dangerous thing.

"Severus I know what you would want to do, but I implore you to wait. She has already had a difficult time and she has only been here a few days. Let her adjust."

Snape stared at him coldly. Dumbledore knew what he was, knew when he hired him what he was, who he was loyal to. It had not been a problem for the old man when he believed Snape's cause was impossible, when he believed it would never come to pass.

"This is why I came to work here." He told the man evenly. "I was up front with you when you hired me. If she is the one I will report to my Lord and under his orders I will take her." There was no point in lying. Not to Dumbledore.

"You do not know if she is the one in the prophecy? You had been so sure when she was murdered that she was."

"The day she was born….our darkest hour…" Snape shook his head and pulled back away from the desk. "Trelawney added more only an hour ago, all she did was lay hands on the girl. That is all the proof my master would need but I…have my doubts. She doesn't appear to be any warrior or savior." The aged man sighed, if only Snape really knew. Still his doubt worked in his favor, may give him time to prepare the girl.

Dumbledore stared at him curiously, if Snape were a normal teacher he would have tried to dive into his mind. See what his plans would be. He didn't. It would not have been wise and he would loose the trust of the man, he couldn't afford that. He himself had no doubt Hermione was the one, but he didn't share his opinion with the man in front of him.

"The new addition…" Snape trailed off. He trusted Dumbledore but they were not always on the same side. It was luck that he did not know that Dumbledore would not be able to read Hermione's mind or he might have kept his next words to himself. "She may be the end of our cause, or the savior of it. It was…unclear, both were prophesized.."

The old wizened wizard stroked his beard, apparently deep in thought. "A choice?" Snape nodded but Dumbledore wasn't looking at him, he was staring down at his desk again. If Snape was unsure if Hermione would aide his cause or his enemies he might be a little less drastic in his approach. Kidnapping the girl would only prejudice her against him, Snape knew it."How odd."

"Dumbledore." Blue eyes glanced up to meet the black ones. Snape grimaced under his calculating gaze. "I will tell my lord of the prophecy and I will take the girl, if those are my orders. You must do what you have to. But I cannot disobey him."

"I understand, Severus." Dumbledore sighed tiredly. Hermione Granger was causing him all sorts of trouble. And he was afraid he wouldn't be able to keep her any safer here than his counter part had where she came from. It was very daunting to fail the girl twice, he couldn't imagine she would have a very high opinion of him.

"There is no middle ground, Headmaster. There is only good and evil, us versus them. If she can keep my people alive…." He trailed off, no need to finish. They had argued about it many times. Neither had ever given an inch, it would be no different now, not just because Hermione had shown up.

Snape's loyalties lay first with his own people, it had always been that way. He had never been able to make his potions teacher understand that the past should be left in the past, that helping his people meant looking to the future and not reigniting an ancient and nearly forgotten war. It was only bad luck Hermione had been born when she had, when the self proclaimed had been at their darkest most weakened state, when their uprising had been haulted before it even began and the King had nearly escaped into their world to wage his bloody war of vengeance.

"I will fight you, my old friend. Should you try to take her without her permission or trust. If you can persuade her to hear you out I will acquiesce. But should you find force your only option….you will encounter resistance."

Snape smiled crookedly before turning to strode from the door. "I am the resistance, Headmaster."

Dumbledore sighed as the door swiftly slammed shut. He took his glasses off and rubbed his temples in irritation. He had the wild urge to take Hermione Granger and send her to America. Perhaps they wouldn't find her there.

In the end it didn't matter. The girl could take care of herself, heaven knows she had fought enough battles to be able to hold her own in combat. He just hoped it didn't come to that. Just because he understood Snape and his loyalties, just because he understood the resistance's cause didn't mean he agreed with their methods.

"Well this is going to be a damn shit show." His phoenix squawked at his cursing and titled its head sideways to stare at him. Dumbledore shook his head at his own words and pulled the papers back. "Damn wars."

~H~

Hermione didn't bother to leave the hospital wing again that night. She hated divination, she thought it was the worst form of magic but she couldn't deny the chills she felt when she remembered Trelawney uttering the words of another prophecy. As much as Hermione wanted to disregard it she knew prophecies had a habit of coming to fruition.

She ran her hands over the raised elegant script written in her borrowed book. She couldn't make the words out, they looked as if they had been traced over so much it made them illegible, she wished she had asked Snape what they said. At least then she might have an idea of what she was up against.

She sat Indian style on her bed and flipped through the rest of the book, studying it in the small light of a nearby candle. Most of it was about the history of some people, they seemed to be more related to Dragons than humans. It read like a fairy tale.

King brokers peace with wizards. Gets married, has twins. Boys grow up. King divides the land Equally upon his death, apparently murdered at the hands of allies, which is the wizards, it was a betrayal that seemed to be quickly snuffed out. Time passes though one twin gets married, the other gets jealous, wants it all. Starts a war, typical. The only thing that was curious was the interference from the wizarding world. It seemed they waited until the brutal fighting had drained both sides before they stormed in and practically eradicated the species. It was sad, but typical of war, and sadly wizards.

Most of the book was on that, a few first accounts from survivors, at least that's what the book said. Hermione wasn't sure it wasn't just fiction.

But some of the book, what perhaps interested her the most, was a section on dimensions. Not exactly like her own, more like unseen worlds between reality and something called a veil. According to the book magic came from the veil, and these strange people seemed to be able to tap into it. Tap into the very source of magic, into this veil. And things lived there, things like Death. It wasn't something she had ever heard of.

It was interesting thinking perhaps that might be where Death lived, or rather inhabited. She had never given it much thoughts before. She knew according to the Deathly Hallows Death was an entity more than just some thing that happened when your time was up. But she had never wondered where he resided until then. She wondered if there was a way to converse with him, like the brothers did in the story she was so familiar with.

It probably wasn't the best idea to try, she had a vague feeling Death might be a little peeved at her for escaping him so much. She wouldn't want him to decide to collect now when she might have finally found some peace.

A light was suddenly shinned on her and she blinked up into familiar dark eyes. The light of candle seemed to flicker before finally going out. She couldn't see the person staring at her now, the light shinning in her eyes was too bright. She cursed herself for being so engrossed in the book she hadn't noticed she'd been snuck up on.

"Ah….I kind of thought you would be asleep."

Hermione's breath caught in her chest and she struggled to find her wand, nearly falling off the bed in her panicked reach for it, she had set it on the bedside table as she often did when she incarcerated in the hospital wing. The woman saw her lunging for it and quickly caught her wrist to stop her. She tried to say something but Hermione reached around with her other wrist to punch her and she was forced to catch that one too. The light went out on her wand as they struggled and Hermione ended up pressed into the soft mattress with a heavy breathing Bellatrix holding both her wrists in one hand above her head and a leg slung over both of Hermione's to prevent her from kicking out at her again. She felt the familiar feeling of a wand pressed against the underside of her chin and her breath left her in a sobbed.

"Calm down. I don't want to hurt you." A soft voice whispered in her ear. She shook her head and turned away from the face so close to her, she could feel soft curls tickling her cheeks. She could smell her too, she expected the stench of death she remembered clung to the woman, the smell of rotting teeth that had permeated her senses back then. But instead she smelled peppermint and sandalwood. It didn't calm her down any, the position was far too familiar and she knew if she couldn't get hold of her breathing she was going to hyperventilate. She did not want to be unconscious and at Bellatrix's mercy. Not even this Bellatrix.

Suddenly the wand left her throat and the grasp was readjusted on her wrists. Bellatrix Black was still pressed into her but she shifted, easily keeping Hermione still as she brought the girls hands down to her chest and turned them so Hermione was facing away from her on her side and pulled tight against Bellatrix's chest. It was a familiar feeling as well, the only difference was they were laying down this time. She tried to gasp out a plea but couldn't seem to get the words out.

"Breathe." The dark woman demanded. She released Hermione's hands to place her own between the girl's ribs under her breasts, it was such an intimate position it only served to spike her anxiety higher. She tried to pull away but Bellatrix pressed her back firmly with an open hand back into her own chest, the woman's fingers splayed wide. "Feel my breath. Breath with me. Slowly."

Hermione tried to do as she bid. Tried to pretend it was anyone other than Bella behind her, holding her. She felt the slow deep rise and fall and did her best to mimic it. The woman was still whispering to her, in that calm, slow and soothing tone. She couldn't understand the words, they were muted by the rush of blood in her ears. Still, she was surprised when it worked, when her breath finally evened out and matched the woman behind her. It felt like it took forever, and she was still acutely aware of who was in bed with her but it wasn't as terrifying as it had been only a moment before.

When her rational mind kicked back in she knew the Bellatrix she knew would have enjoyed her suffering, wouldn't have helped her through it. She would have stood above her cackling manically and gleefully and probably shot a few crucio her way to just to add to the terror. She would never have climbed into bed with her and held her until she could control herself. She wouldn't have given Hermione back her wand or released her hands either.

The hand around her loosened slightly and she felt the woman lean over and slightly above her to peer down at her face. With a quick whisper candles were lit, bathing the room in their warm swaying lights and shadows. "Are you alright?"

Hermione felt the words whispered across the skin at her neck and she shivered at the sensation. She made no other move and she didn't answer the woman. Her eyes remained fix at the drawn curtain of the bed next to hers. She wanted to retreat into herself as she had done before when held in this woman's hands.

"Granger?" She inhaled sharply at the sound of her name. She wasn't sure how she felt, having an enemy holding her and calming her, worried about her. She wanted to scream, cry, she _really_ want to hex the woman. She couldn't do any of those things. She felt so…hollow inside. Empty, like everything that made her Hermione, made her the fierce, smart little battling witch at Harry and Ron's side was gone. "Granger?"

She could feel the woman moving behind her, obviously she was worried for the teen since she hadn't said anything or moved. Hermione let out a harsh breath. How could she tell the woman that _she_ was the problem.

"I'm fine." Her words came out hoarse. "Can you…" Hermione wanted to tell her to get away from her. To stop holding onto her like she was, but she couldn't get the words out.

She seemed to get the hint though. Hermione was relieved to feel her climbing from the bed. She heard her boots on the floor as the teacher made her way over to the other side of the bed. She knelt down to be eye level with her and in the soft light Hermione was surprise to see the woman with her hair down, cascading down her shoulders in soft, well kept curls. As much as she wanted to avoid looking at her she found her eyes drawn to the dark nearly jet black ones gazing at her in concern. There wasn't a single spark of insanity there, somehow it only made her more uncomfortable, she realized Bellatrix Black was beautiful and she hated her for it. Of all the things that changed she wished it hadn't been one of them. She wanted a crazy Bellatrix to hate.

"I didn't mean to frighten you, I found you in the woods I only wanted to see that you were alright." Hermione wanted to scoff. She was in the hospital wing. Pomfrey wouldn't have left her if she wasn't alright. Bellatrix was a teacher she should have known that…her excuse felt a little flimsy but Hermione had no idea why else the witch would have been sneaking to see her in the middle of the night. She didn't want to dwell on it either. She did not want Bellatrix Black taking any kind of interest in her, even if she wasn't a homicidal maniac.

"I'm the Defense teacher." Bella gave her a small smile, one she hoped was reassuring. The girl had barely blinked at her. She shifted uncomfortably, she wasn't old per say but crouching down beside a bed was hell on her knees. She didn't want to tower over the girl though, not after frightening her enough that she had actually had to defend herself physically.

"Why-" Hermione wasn't sure what to ask. Why are you here? Bellatrix had given her some kind of an answer for that. Why had you held me to calm me down, she didn't want the answer to that. She didn't want the witch humanized to her.

Unfortunately Bellatrix didn't seem to need her to finish. "My sisters used to have panic attacks. I learned how to calm them down before our…before it got too bad. Nothing ever worked as good as letting them feel how to breath. I'm sorry if it was a bit much, I didn't know what else to try."

Hermione didn't know what to say. It made sense. Even the Bella she knew cared somewhat for Narcissa. Even if she would have rather killed Andy than laid eyes on her she imagined as children they were close. She was sure she had heard Tonks say something about it once at a meeting.

"I just want to forget about it." Her eyes roamed over the woman's face. Nothing about the woman in front of her reminded her of the night she spent on the Malfoy's floor but she wanted it to. Of all the things that had happened to her she couldn't forgive Bellatrix Lestrange. Not for the crude writing on her arm, not for the death of Tonks…she could never forgive the vile woman for that. For Teddy growing up without parents.

"Right…" Dark eyes bore into her for a moment longer before the woman stood back up and stepped away. "I should go back on rounds then….if you are sure you're okay?"

Hermione didn't glance up at her. She kept her gaze firmly planted on the curtain past her legs. It was petty and childish but she couldn't continue to face the beautiful woman. She had to hold onto the hate, for her friends for her past and everything that had happened.

The lights went back out with another whisper from the dark witches mouth, only a few remained though Hermione wasn't sure the witch left them lit for her benefit or if only so she could see to leave. Either way the raven haired woman left her side and she didn't relax until she heard the heavy hospital wing doors gently close.

Something skittered across the bed and she turned to see Loki staring at her in vague concern, he held the heavy book in both his little hands, dragging it towards her as best he could. She smiled at him and sat up to take the book back. "And where were you when Bellatrix Lestrange flaunted into my room?"

He turned his head and gave her a confused look. She ignored him and opened the book back up. Sleep was out of the question after her strange encounters that night so she might as well do what she did best. Read.

 **A/N I really hope it's just me but this chapter just felt odd to me. I wish I had more time to tweak it but my program is already acting up so I need to post it. I am somehow going to work in a Bogart scene. But I decided Bella was way too interested in Hermione to not do something sneaky. It just seemed like a Bella thing to do, spy on someone because she couldn't get them out of her head. And of course I had to figure out what Hermione would do faced with her. Obviously first response is to attack her. Now I'm afraid I'm as confused as Hermione as to how she should be feeling. A sane Bellatrix is really weird to write, at least this one seems to be.**


	13. Friends

Pomfrey was practically shoving her out of the hospital wing the next morning. It took all kinds of convincing to make the nurse believe she would actually go to breakfast, that she didn't have to walk with her to the Great Hall as she intended. Hermione was getting enough attention as a _transfer_ student and did not need any more, Merlin only knew what kind of rumors would be flying around if the teachers escorted her everywhere she went. She had already been stuck in the hospital wing twice, they we're going to believe she drew trouble.

She ignored the voice in her head that told her she did draw trouble. It was a new start. Perhaps she could avoid dangerous things from now on if she kept her focus on herself and her school work. The last thing she wanted was to be involved in another prophecy or war and she definitely wasn't about to make friends with her enemies, even if they weren't enemies anymore.

She shivered as she accidentally walked through Nearly Headless Nick. "Sorry." She said in response to his gentle scolding.

"Worst feeling isn't it?" A young Hufflepuff asked her. She glanced over and noticed he was about a foot shorter than her, she imagined he couldn't be any older than a third year. She didn't remember being so small though.

He grinned at her, exposing dimples and freckles in the candlelight as they walked down the corridor to the Great Hall. "I'm Ramey. A second year." He told her when it became clear she wasn't going to engage him in conversation despite his attempt at an ice breaker. "There are a lot of rumors going around about you." She sighed, it wasn't less than she expected, she hadn't even interacted with any students until him and already the whole castle knew about her. She imagined it was the paintings and their gossiping. At least she knew the ones in the headmaster's office would keep her secrets. "I don't like to believe in rumors…you know how it is." He said hopefully.

She nodded. It wasn't quiet the response he was hoping for but it encouraged him to keep talking. She wasn't quiet sure if she wanted him to bugger off or stick with her. She could see the others giving them strange looks but his presence seemed to keep others from approaching her. She wondered why, he was just a boy, not even a Slytherin, so he couldn't be all that bad.

"There was a lot of rumors about me when I first started. Because of my dad you know," She didn't know but she didn't say anything to contradict him. "I tried to set them all straight at first but gave up. People believe what they-"

"Hey, little man, what's up? Already trying to charm the new girl? Man your just like your dad." Arms came out of no where and landed on the boys shoulders. His hair was ruffled affectionately and Hermione stopped to stare transfixed at the sight in front of her. "I'm Ron. Ron Weasley." Ron smiled charmingly at her, all confidence and a little bit of arrogance. She was surprised at how different he seemed here than where she had been.

It was as if the boy that had always tried to live up to his brothers accomplishments, had always craved the attention his best friend got, had come into his own….all on his own. She was very put off by his confidence, he was a far cry from the shy unsure boy she had grown up with.

"And…you are?" He asked a small smirk playing on his lips. She wondered if he was conceited enough to think she already fancied him.

"Hermione," Minerva saved her from having to answer and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Pomfrey said she forced you from the hospital wing, are you feeling better?" McGonagall shot the two boys a suspicious glance. "Up to no good Weasley? And where exactly is your partner in crime."

Ron shrugged, "Professor Snape had something for him this morning. No trouble today," He grinned sheepishly. "Honest." The Hufflepuff boy pushed him gently off and tried to straighten his hair.

"Fine, don't torment your cousin or I'll be forced to write to your parents." Ron shot his hands up in surrender but gave Hermione a wink when the witch turned her back on him. "Come, I'll walk with you the rest of the way."

Hermione nearly groaned, that was what she had been trying to avoid. She nearly told the witch so when her eyes landed on Bellatrix Black rounding a corner with none other than Harry Potter and she paled. She had the urge to rush over and defend him, she kept it in check only because they were so engrossed in conversation and laughing about something she couldn't hear.

"Ms. Granger you have to breath." Minerva had followed her gaze and took a few steps toward the girl in case she needed to restrain her. She kept her voice low and soft, reassuring but also strong. She didn't want to have to make up excuses as to why he new student was attacking teachers in halls.

"Ah, Minerva." Bellatrix nodded to the witch as she turned. She kept a watchful eye on the rigid student beside her and sighed in relief when Harry drug Ron and Ramey away from them towards the promise of food. They waved back to the three of them but otherwise kept walking. "And Ms. Granger. I see Pomfrey has released you from custody." Bellatrix smiled beautifully but it fell quickly when the girl said nothing. She only stared at her wearily, Bella could swear there was still a spark of fear somewhere in her coffee colored eyes but when she looked to hard it was concealed and replaced by emptiness. She had a strong urge to dive into the girls mind, to find out what frightened her so much, what caused her transfer to Hogwarts. She was sure whatever it was it wasn't sunshine and roses.

Minerva cleared her throat. She wasn't sure what was going on with Bellatrix, it seemed every time the woman saw Hermione she got far too transfixed, at least she was more intrigued than Minerva thought she should be. It wasn't unusual for Black to get obsessed about something but she had never taken it to the level of a person and Minerva desperately did not want the famous Black focus on Hermione. No doubt the girl felt the same.

"Bellatrix I was just escorting Ms. Granger to the dinning hall." Bellatrix drug her dark eyes over to her friend and coworker. She was still a bit sore about the accusation Minerva had made when she brought Granger to the hospital wing out of the snow.

"I'll join you, I was on my way there." She smiled thoughtfully. She remembered they had mentioned the girl was a relative of McGonagall. Bella wondered how close they were, they looked nothing alike.

Hermione tensed beside her and the transfiguration teacher cursed herself. She had no good reason to deter her colleague from walking the short distance with them. And even if she did find one they were headed in the same direction.

"Are you alright? After last night. I honestly didn't mean to-" Hermione cut the dark beauty off.

"I'm fine. Only hungry. May we go?" He words were short, clipped. They made the women frown. Bella was wondering if the girl just didn't like to talk but Minerva was wondering if the girl was really going to chose to stay at Hogwarts. She had to say she was doing a fair job dealing with the demons from her past since she hadn't tried to hex Black yet. She wasn't sure she would have had the same restraint as the girl...

"Wait what do you mean last night?" Bellatrix grimaced under the shrewd accusing gaze. She hated having to defend herself and honestly she had no excuses.

"Please." Hermione said softly, cutting off any response Bellatrix would have made. "If you want to walk with me can we please just go?"

Minerva sighed. She was honestly surprised Hermione hadn't walked off and left her. She had needed to talk to her but most of that had been ruined by the presence of Black. "I have your syllabus." She waved her wand and handed a paper she conjured to the girl as they began walking, Bellatrix trailing only slightly behind making Hermione's stomach roll in protest and her fingers itch to hold her wand. She forced her attention down to the rather full course load Minerva had supplied her. It would be a welcome distraction.

She frowned and glanced up at the silver haired woman. "I won't take divination." She said sternly. "I don't particularly care for the subject," She opted not to add she didn't care for the teacher either, she supposed Firenze wasn't that bad but she hadn't had any desire to find out. She was rather soured on the _art_ of divination.

"I can fix that. Would you like to check over the other courses we provide?"

Bellatrix had stepped closer to glance over Hermione's shoulder. "Blimey Min you trying to kill the girl?" Hermione flinched but it went unnoticed by both teachers. "That schedule is so full even without Trelawneye's…class." Hermione had the impression that was not the first word Bellatrix had meant to say, she was pretty sure bullshit was high up on that list.

"Ms. Granger is a very talented student." She didn't add that the girl had likely taken every class and already knew all the work. She imagine what she didn't know could be easily caught up.

"I'll take a look at the list, Professor." Hermione said softly. She also knew she would have no problem with the work. She had done more work when she had the time tuner, and she knew the distraction would be nice. Keep her from dwelling on unpleasant things. At least for a while.

"There are a few classes that will help prepare you for the Y. if your still interested." She nearly cracked a smile at the hopeful tone in her teachers voice.

A childish groan echoed from behind them as Bellatrix once again made herself known. "Min, don't tell me you recruited your niece or something to help you take down Slytherin?"

Minerva huffed. "Not Slytherin, we beat you every year anyways." There was a childish echo of _'Do not.'_ "Hermione will help us best Ravenclaw." Minerva beamed down at the brunet.

Bellatrix took another look at the list in Hermione's hand. If she noticed the way the young woman held her breath every time she got too close she didn't let on. Minerva shot her a comforting look though. "You should pick up dueling. It's part of the test. Some of the students entering are accomplished duelers. You won't stand a chance against them if you don't have any experience."

Hermione's eyes flashed, her mind on all the life and death moments when it seemed she was only a failed shield away from getting herself and her friends killed. She remembered being hit by the unknown spell in the brain room at the ministry. She shivered at the realization that she could have died that day. She hadn't ever really given it much thought before. There had never been time and there was always a close brush with death lurking around the next corner, she never had time to worry about the past when her future was so uncertain.

"There will be no dueling classes for you." Minerva said stonily. Hermione glanced up at her in surprise.

"What's wrong with dueling classes?" Bellatrix demanded. "I am a very good teacher you know, and the only students ever to get hurt are the ones that don't listen to my instructions. It does them good to feel a bit of pain." Hermione realized why there would be no dueling classes for herself. Minerva was afraid it would bring up trauma for her. And she was probably right. She wondered how the head teacher thought she was going to be any help to them if she couldn't pass the dueling part of the Y. .

"You are an excellent teacher. I simply do not want Hermione dueling this year. If she decides to duel in the Y. she will be facing a teacher from Ravenclaw." That was news to her. She didn't say anything, she really didn't have an opinion on the matter. It seemed to piss Bellatrix off. She was sputtering and glaring at Minerva for all she was worth. They stopped just outside the Great Hall doors and Hermione shifted nervously on her feet.

"This is very….unusual." Black finally settled on the least offensive word she could think of.

Minerva nearly said Hermione's circumstances warranted it but she didn't want Black any more interested in the girl than she already appeared to be.

"Can we go in now?" Minerva spared another glance to Black before she nodded her head. She knew Hermione hadn't really wanted to be seen with teachers, she thought it might do her some good though, give credence to the rumor that she was related to her and keep Hermione from having to come up with a story for her late transfer. Besides, it was a normal thing for a parent or guardian to fret over their child, perhaps even embarrass them. She was the closest thing Hermione had to a guardian, even if the girl was of age she was going to do her best to support her in a way a parent should have. It was all she could think to do for the girl.

Bellatrix was grumbling beside them as she headed for the teachers table. She spared Hermione one last look and pointed a finger at her. "I'm still going to get you in my dueling class. I'm not giving up Min." She walked backwards for a few feet before deftly turning to avoid Luna's airily walk towards the doors.

"Don't worry, Ms. Granger. I will speak to her." Minerva promised. She led Hermione over to the Gryffindor table. Hermione was surprised to see it full of other houses as well. In fact a quick glance around the room showed even the Slytherin table held a few from other houses. Luna had come to sit with them quiet frequently but she had been one of the few students brave enough to really challenge that little unspoken rule. She had never seen anyone other than a Slytherin at the Slytherin table though. "Ms. Weasley," Hermione turned her attention back to her own house table and saw Minerva had led her to Ginny. The redhead turned around and smiled brightly at the two of them. "This is Ms. Hermione Granger, if you don't mind showing her around after breakfast."

Minerva shot Hermione a knowing look. She knew Hermione knew her way around the castle but she also knew Hermione would need friends, perhaps familiar faces and as Dumbledore had placed her in Ginny's year it made sense to try and ignite their friendship.

"I'm Ginny Weasley." She scooted over to make room for her and Hermione spared her mentor one last quick glance before she took the offered seat. Minerva stayed only long enough to make sure they were properly bombarding her with questions, because that's how children created friendships she was sure, before she headed off toward her own table.

"Hermione Granger."

"Oh, we have heard loads about you." She glanced across the table and wasn't exactly happy to see Lavender Brown. She hoped the girl wasn't as obnoxious as she remembered. She instantly felt guilty at the thought as she remembered the way they had found her body during the battle. She fought back the memories and focused on what they were saying. "Is it true you're related to McGonagall?" She asked excitedly.

Hermione gave a noncommittal shrug. She didn't want to lie but as far as cover stories went it was the best to use she supposed. It would also make it easier for people to understand why she was placed in Gryffindor.

"I heard that you were in Romania studying dragons, is that true?!" Her eyes landed on an excited Ravenclaw, he looked about Ramey's age. She was positively astounded at the rumors already circulating about her.

"No. I've not studied dragons or ever been to Romania."

"Have you seen a dragon before?" He pressed.

"Yes." Quiet a few actually but she didn't want to talk about it. Her quick clipped answer wasn't enough to deter the boy though.

"Really what-"

"Jasper leave the poor girl alone." Ginny scolded gently. The boy blushed and Hermione waved off his apology.

"It's okay. I think they are cool too but my experiences with them were them trying to eat me so…not much to talk about." She gave him a small smile.

"So cool…." He whispered, staring at her in awe. She didn't really agree but she didn't say anything about it.

"So you're in my year right?" Ginny asked, trying to move the conversation to something mundane to help erase the haunted look in the newcomer's eyes.

"That's what they tell me." Hermione told her. She was still a little put off by having to redo her sixth year.

"What I want to know," Ron said as he and Harry took a seat in front of her. The students moved over as they sidled on down toward her. "Is what in Merlin's name you have done to get so much attention from the teachers? Black is practically glaring at you."

Hermione couldn't resist the urge to glance up toward the teachers long table. Black wasn't the only one staring her way, Snape was speaking to Dumbledore but his eyes were fixed on her. She avoided his gaze but that left her eyes to land on the curly haired woman twirling her wand between her fingers. She shivered at the familiar gesture and pulled her gaze away.

"I turn down her offer to join her dueling class."

The students close enough to hear her stared at her in shock. "But….Black rarely let's anyone in that class. And she offered a spot to you?" Ron asked in awe.

Hermione's brown eyes flew back up to meet the obsidian ones still gazing at her. The woman looked irritated and she obviously didn't care that she was caught staring. She looked thoughtful too though and that was what worried Hermione the most.

"I have no intention of joining." She said aloud, mostly to Bellatrix even though she was sure the witch couldn't hear her.

"It's hard work but it is fun." Ginny said. "I've been in the class since third year." That didn't really surprise Hermione. Even her Ginny had been a talented duelist.

She turned her attention back to the people that had once been her friends. She wasn't sure if she wanted to befriend them now. She wondered if that could be considered betraying the people she knew. Logically she knew they wouldn't want her to think that way but she couldn't help it. Everyone looked the same, perhaps a little more carefree and happier than she remembered, but they weren't the same.

"What class do you have first. I might be able to help you catch up before it starts." She smiled at Ginny, it didn't quiet meet her eyes and it held a sad tinge to it. Ginny had the presence of mind not to comment on it. No one else seemed to notice.

"I think I'll be okay. I had a pretty advanced education. If I need help though I'll be sure to ask you."

"Where did you live before you came here?" Harry asked as he stuffed a biscuit in his mouth whole.

"All over. I….travelled a lot the past year." It wasn't a lie. It just wasn't the truth.

"Cool, what does your parents do?"

She grimaced. She really didn't want to talk about herself anymore. She didn't want to answer so many personal questions that she didn't have a real answer to. She didn't know if the Hermione Granger's parents living in this world had been dentists. She was sure they were still muggles but anything else apart from them being dead was unknown to her.

"They were muggles. Dentists." Jasper gave her a confused look.

"Dentists don't really travel all the much do they? My mom's a muggle, she's a teacher." He told her.

She chose not to comment. Harry and Ron drew their attention away a moment later by launching eggs at the nearest Slytherin. She shot them a silent prayer of thanks. Unfortunately it started a pretty wide food war and the teachers didn't look to pleased. Hermione managed to avoid anything launched her way easily enough and even managed to slip out of the Hall before the teacher could get it all stopped. Her last glance back showed the two boys getting a serious scolding from their head of house. They we're both sporting grins from ear to ear. It was both disconcerting and wonderful how different they were.

"Sneaking out are we?" She glanced up at the familiar ghostly figure of Peeves. He had his head sticking through the wall giggling happily at the shenanigans ensuing, but he pulled it out to regard her as she escaped the chaos.

"Hello Peeves." His mouth fell open, he wondered how she already knew his name. "I heard you were a pretty good poltergeist. Really good at making things move when you wanted." He smiled at the praise, no one had ever seemed to appreciate his talents.

"Yes well, it's all about spiritual strength and will power." He boasted, puffing his chest out importantly. "I'm the best poltergeist Hogwarts has ever had."

Hermione nodded in agreement. She figured it couldn't hurt to stroke his ego a little bit, she remembered what a pain in the ass he could be if he wanted to be. Many a nights he nearly got them detention when they were out of bounds. If she were on friendly terms with him he might just be of help instead, she hoped anyways.

"Perhaps I will see you around then?" She smiled at him, she could have swore his cheeks darkened. She didn't say anything else though as she headed outside past the huge entrance doors and the courtyard. She headed toward the lake, perhaps the only place she could think of to get some kind of peace.

It was cold and the ground was covered in a light layer of snow. She didn't have a jacket or boots because she hadn't yet been to her room or gotten the clothes McGonagall purchased to her. She didn't feel like going back in though, and it wasn't the first time she hadn't been properly prepared for the snowy weather. She hadn't been prepared for a lot the past year.

She cast a gentle warming spell over herself and stored her wand back into the robes Pomfrey had given her that morning. She sat on the soft snow and drew her knees up to her chest as she gazed out over the grounds.

Hogwarts really was beautiful. The lake was massive and deceptively calm. She knew the giant squid lurked somewhere below the surface, he had never harmed anyone, at least not to her knowledge, but Hagrid had once told her he enjoyed playing tricks on the children. He used to rock the first years boats a bit or he would splash water on an unsuspecting student studying by the shore. Hagrid had told her he had stopped most of those tricks because he was getting on up in age. Sometimes she wondered at her giant friends affinity for magical creatures.

"Its cold out here." A soft voice said as a tall thin figure took a seat beside her in the snow. Luna smiled lightly over at her before her blue eyes s scanned the lake surface. "Have you seen the Logana yet?" Hermione shook her head, wondering if it was another of Luna's invisible creatures. She didn't mock her she had learned long ago that there was at least some semblance of truth to the things Luna spoke about, even if they had never been proven.

"I don't know what that is." She said without glancing toward her.

"A very smart water creature. Beautiful too. Though…they can be a bit snarky sometimes." Luna smiled as she explained, it was nice not to be dismissed immediately. "They mostly live in groups and they usually stay around Italy but the one in the lake got separated some time ago and was apparently too lazy to make her way back out."

Hermione laughed softly. She had never heard of a Logana, much less one living in the Black Lake. "Sounds interesting, Luna."

"I'm surprised you know my name, we are not in the same house."

She turned toward the blonde and shrugged a shoulder carelessly. "Houses didn't seem to matter too much from what I saw in the hall."

"That's true. They encourage us to cooperate between houses. I suppose it curbs conflict. We still get into fights about Quidditch though."

"I've never been too fond of the sport. I suppose it's not too bad as far as they go." She smiled at the memories of her earlier school life. Of cheering for Harry with Luna and Ginny and then for Ron when she helped him make keeper. If she could go back to those times without having to repeat the war she wouldn't mind giving Quidditch another chance. Perhaps if she could figure out how to settle herself in here she could give it a go.

"I enjoy the cheering." Luna said happily.

"I suppose being around friends is nice." Hermione admitted sadly.

"You miss your friends?" The brunet started at the innocent question.

"I-" She wanted to say it was complicated but she found it really wasn't. She did miss Harry and Ron and Ginny and Neville. She even missed the girl sitting next to her. "Yes, I miss them terribly. We had been through a lot and just when we thought it would get better….I ended up here, separated from them." Hermione knew Luna wouldn't gossip so she felt comfortable sharing more than she normally would.

"I'm sorry." Hermione nodded her attention wandering back out to the dark water of the lake. "It looks so peaceful." Luna commented. "Did you know the water looks green from the Slytherin common room. My friend told me." She grinned conspiratorially at Hermione's raised eye. Hermione knew because Harry and Ron had mentioned it after their trip to interrogate Malfoy. "Also, I'm pretty sure the grindylow are at war with the mermaids. The Logana told me they were fighting about the encroachment on their weeds."

"But the lake is huge."

Luna shrugged. "I think they just like the action. Apparently none of them ever get really hurt. I know Hagrid patches them up from time to time, he says they fuss something terribly."

Hermione shook her head at the ridiculousness of it. "It takes all kinds apparently." She wasn't really sure if she should believe Luna but she knew the girl wouldn't have any reason to lie. And it wasn't any kind of amazing groundbreaking information. Just a funny little story to tell a potential friend.

"Thank you Luna." She smiled at the girl and stood up, brushing the snow from her pants. Luna stared up at her curiously. "For being you. Don't ever change." Hermione felt better, Luna let her know her friends were still there, they didn't know her yet and that was okay but they couldn't be too much different from the people she had grown up with.

"Hermione! Blasted I've been looking for you everywhere. McGonagall asked me to show you around remember?" Ginny waved happily at Luna. "You ready?"

Hermione glanced back toward the calm lake. "As I'll ever be."

 **A/N; wow. As long as this is it turned out to be a filler. At least Hermione got reintroduced to a lot of her friends. As weird as that is.**


	14. Deeply Burried

**Complete filler chapter sorry. And it's short but I needed to kickstart my interest again. Also needed a distraction, my service dog of fifteen years is being put to sleep tomorrow and even though I know it is a necessary thing because of the quality of her life I feel miserable that I had to make the decision.**

" **Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daylight, and falling in at night. I miss you like hell."**

 **Edna St. Vincent Millay**

Deep dark, the kind of dark that was nearly impervious to light, was always portrayed to be a little bit wet. Often in books or movies there would be illusions to the dripping of water as it fell from the stalactites high above. There was no dripping water running from stalactites in Gringotts. No matter how much it resembled a cave.

No, what there was instead was a waterfall, ushering it's water over the tracks and bringing the magic resistant liquid down as a defense against Intruders.

If it touched your skin and found enchantment there it set off alarms, alerting the goblins inside of a potential threat. Not that the overly righteous and bitter beings truly cared.

No, they didn't often seek Intruders, they took their time and then sought the bodies. So comforted in their knowledge that the Labyrinth like maze Bellow their bank would keep their honor and gold safe from would be thieves.

But he was no thief. And he was not under any enchantment the water could detect.

He walked the stone tracks in silence, it had taken him quiet some time to walk to the depth unnoticed by the goblins as they went to and from on their carts. Still, they were arrogant beings and because they did not _want_ to see him he remained invisible. His spells concealed him perfectly from their irresponsible eyes. It was really too easy, and he didn't mind the walk. He knew were he was going and he knew his way out, the bank had been built on the ruins of the Labyrinth after all.

He passed the waterfall unhindered and took a moment to glance down to the paths Below. He was nearly there. There were goblins below, he could hear them with their infernal clankers and their laughter as they tortured one of his mighty brethren.

He sighed deeply. They wouldn't be enjoying their merriment for much longer. Az was moving and if he had any chance of winning he was going to have to do the same. No one was more loyal than if they owed their freedom to you, lives were easy they came and went. But a being imprisoned…..death meant little, living meant little. Freedom….that was were the money was at.

Hermione had ditched Ginny and honestly she didn't feel as bad as she thought she would. Somehow she was under the mistaken impression Ginny had been quiet and reserved for a while when they first met. This Ginny had nearly talked her ears off. Thought Hermione was grateful she stuck to mundane things instead of grilling her about her life before that moment.

Still Hermione loved Ginny, hers at least, but that didn't mean she wanted to take a hour long tour of a school she already knew better than the back of her hand with her. She was very grateful she was able to sneak off and disappear in a hidden passageway. She supposed she was lucky still that it was even there. She wondered just how much of this wizarding history was different. If maybe it didn't just stop at Voldemort. If maybe there was a Grindelwald.

She shook her head furiously as she walked the narrow dark corridor. She wasn't going to do that to herself. She wasn't going to think about the past and the differences. She was going to get through this damn school year and somehow she was going to finally learn the password to the common room.

She cursed under her breath as she realized she hadn't asked Ginny what it was. She wasn't going to turn around now. She would just have to head to McGonagall's office and ask her. It really was a ridiculous oversight that no one had told her yet.

She ran her hand along the left wall until it touched the back of a large child sized painting. The entrance back into the corridor. She hoped Ginny was gone and hadn't just moseyed on down looking for her.

She had to bed a little to get out, the painting was fine when she was smaller but as an adult it was a bit of a squeeze to her spine.

"Well excuse me!" Hermione flashed the disgruntled portrait a small apologetic smile before she took off in the direction of McGonagall's office.

She passed a prefect and was a little disappointed it was a Ravenclaw. They wouldn't know the Gryffindor password and she doubted she would need their help to get into the Ravenclaw common room. She had often tried her hand at the riddles when Harry and Ron were up to no good on their own.

She rounded a corner and was grabbed by a pair of strong arms that fastened around her waist. She didn't scream out, because she was so terrified she couldn't find her voice, Instead she lashed out with her body. Her elbow connected with the softness of someone's stomach and with a small 'off' she was released to round on her assailant.

She was shocked to see Ron bent over clutching his stomach. "sorry…..bloody hell woman. Just didn't want you to ruin my prank." He motioned gingerly to a bucket hovering just beyond the bend. " been needing to get Harry back for ages. Got Fang's drool in it. Took ages to get a bucket full….well could have gotten it in a day but didn't want to be too suspicious…." He trailed off sheepishly.

"Prank?" She glared at him, he gulped. He scared the hell out of her because he wanted to see his best friend covered in drool….she wished she had hit him harder. She was tempted to sock him in the nose like she had done Malfoy the once, the temptation was barely avoided.

"Fine. You can make it up to me by telling me the Gryffindor password. Everyone else keeps forgetting."

He stared at her for a moment and then shrugged. "Gilliweed."

She started to say something when he paled suddenly. "Wait! Prof-"

She turned around just as he rushed by her. Just in time to see a determined looking Bellatrix Black obliviously step under the bucket. Determination turned to surprise and then to down right anger.

"Weasley!"

Hermione silently thanked the boy for giving her a way to avoid what had evidently been another round of Black trying to get her to join the dueling club, before she fled for the safety of the commons room. She had to admit seeing Bellatrix dripping from dogs goo was a memorable moments and it tempered her fear a bit. She figured if Ron was still alive by tomorrow Bellatrix couldn't be all that bad. Didn't mean she was going to be spending any more time than necessary with the woman.


End file.
